Blue Skies, Broken Hearts, Next Twelve Exits
by Wind2
Summary: GCC; A highschool fic almost like no other. Goku and ChiChi never talk--period. ChiChi's pretty and popular, while Goku is left to fail by all. In a twist of fate though, ChiChi and Goku end up spending more time together than they bargained for...
1. Chapter 1

I don't own DBZ or any lyrics by The Ataris

Hey everyone! Welcome to my latest fic! I just want to say now that I don't own the title. "Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…next 12 Exits" is actually the title to an Ataris CD that I have. I absolutely love that title, and I believe that it will fit this fic perfectly by the end. 

Anyway, this is a high school fic, but it basically only based around ChiChi and Goku. Bulma and Vegeta aren't really in it, since they're graduating college (if you put it in DB/DBZ timeline, Bulma is 4 years older than Goku I believe. I never knew Vegeta's age, so he's the same age as her) Krillin is in this, but he's really not important, and Android 18 is never seen. Oh yeah, and Bardock is alive. 

Oh, and also, you'll probably recognize names from other animes, but this isn't a crossover to anything else. I'm just using the names. ^_^

Now that we have that straight, you can read now. Remember to review at the end! 

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"You control the future, and it's looking bleak. Seems like we're heading for another losing streak."

Chapter 1

   Goku slammed his locker door. Finally, it was the end of the worst day of the week—Monday. Goku hated that day with a passion. It was the day that he was forced to start his week of screaming teachers, loads of work, and NO training whatsoever. That's what sucked the most about school—he wasn't allowed to train. Ever since his grades had dropped to almost failing, his father had forbid him to train during the week. Damn, life sucked…

   He slipped on his headphones, turning the bass up all the way. The music pounding in his ears, he walked down the hall, pushing past the other students that were quickly filling the narrow hallways. He lip synched to the fast paced punk rock songs, making his way to the front door. Almost there…just a little further to freedom…

   He froze when he saw her. He couldn't understand why he couldn't just keep walking, or at least say hi to her. It's not like they were total strangers—they were best friends. Well, _used _to be best friends…

   Goku had met ChiChi on one of his Dragonball hunts. He had been looking for them to wish his father back, who had been killed in a fierce battle. ChiChi of course, did not know this, but agreed to help him find the Dragonballs. They had soon become best friend, and were nearly inseparable. Nearly…

   Then high school had started. Goku had Krillin there, while ChiChi had somehow quickly made her way into the popular group. Things were never the same between them since that first day of 9th grade. 

   Now it was their senior year, and things remained the same. This year was different though…whenever Goku would see her, he felt_ strange_. Before, he could simply walk past her, and never make eye contact. Now, his heart would start to beat rapidly, and his breath would sometimes become shallow. He couldn't stand it…he felt so weak…

   Krillin walked up behind Goku. "Hey Goku…"

   No response. Krillin rolled his eyes, and grabbed Goku's headphones. "HEY GOKU!"

   Goku jumped. Sighing deeply, he looked down at his best friend, actually thankful for him being there. "Hey Krillin. How's it goin'?"

   "Not too bad. How 'bout you?"

   " Okay. Dad's banned me from training again."

   "Damn, that sucks."

   "Tell me about it." Goku looked straight ahead again. 

   ChiChi chatted with her friends excitedly. She loved school. Not for its work of course, but for her friends. The social scene at school was great, and it was the ultimate place to get all the latest news and gossip during the week. She threw a section of her hair behind her shoulder while laughing. At that moment, she noticed someone staring at her in the corner of her head. Turning her head more to see enough, but not to seem obvious she noticed Goku staring at her. Smiling to herself, she turned from her friends and made her way over to him.

   "Krillin she's coming over here! Quick, start laughing."

   "What?"

   "Start laughing!" Goku started to laugh at nothing.

   "Oh, I get it." Krillin said, and he also started to laugh.

   "Hey Goku." ChiChi said, walking up to him. Goku stopped laughing and turned away from Krillin.

   "Hey ChiChi. How's it goin'? Goku said as smoothly as possible. 

   "Not bad, yourself?"

   "All right."

   "Who are you listening to?" She tapped the headphones that hung loosely around Goku's neck. He gulped, it must have been so obvious to her that he was nervous. "Sum 41" he said quickly, making it almost come out as a squeak. 

   "Cool group." She said, smiling at him.

   "Yeah."

   ChiChi started to walk away, "We should talk again sometime! See ya later!"

   "See ya." Goku called back. He watched ChiChi walk back to her group of friends.

   "Hey Hitomi!"  

   "Hey ChiChi, who were you talking to?" Hitomi asked, moving a part of her bangs out of her eyes.

   "Son Goku."

   "Why would you ever want to talk to him?"

   "I don't know, we used to be friends, and I haven't talked to him in ages. I thought it would be nice to say hi."

   "He's about to flunk out of high school his senior year. Why would you want to talk to him?"

   "You wouldn't understand."

   "Understand what?"

   ChiChi sighed. "Nothing, let's just get out of this place."

   "Fine!"

   Krillin looked at Goku and laughed. "Wow, you have it bad."

   Goku looked at Krillin shocked, "What?" 

   Krillin started his way to the doors. Goku followed quickly behind, confused. Walking out to the parking lot, they made their way to the city to go to Goku's house. 

   They entered a side alley, and walked to the back of it. 

   "You like ChiChi, don't you?" Krillin asked, taking to the air.

   "What? Me? No! Never!" Goku said, his cheeks turning red. 

   "It's so obvious." 

   "Is not!" Goku jumped up, and started to follow. He frowned, and sped up to pass Krillin. 

   "Hey!" Krillin called, flying up next to Goku. 

   Goku stopped. Surprised, Krillin stopped a few feet ahead, and look back at Goku. He then flew over to him. "What are you doing?" He asked.

   "Nothing. Are you ready?" Goku smirked. 

   "For what?"

   "Set?"

   "No"

   "Go!" Goku immediately sped off towards the mountains. 

   "Not fair!" Krillin called out, and he followed Goku's trail all the way back to his house.

~*~

   "Hey Dad, I'm home!" Goku called through the house, throwing his back pack to the side.

   "Hey Bardock!" Krillin yelled, running in after Goku. 

   "Hey guys," Bardock said, walking out of the kitchen and towards them. He wore his green gi, sporting his usual red bandanna. "Anything interesting happen at school today?"

   Goku was silent

   "Kakarott?" Bardock eyed Goku suspiciously. 

   "Nothing," Goku pushed his way pass Bardock, "And don't call me that. I hate that name." He quickly disappeared. 

   "What's up with him?" 

   "Nothing really," Krillin said, preparing to leave, "ChiChi talked to him for the first time in three years, and it ends up he has a crush on her. Don't bother him too much about it, since it will probably mean my  head." He laughed lightly. 

   "Fine, are you leaving?"

   "Yeah, loads of homework. Damn teachers, you know."

   Bardock laughed. "Okay. See ya later then."

   "Bye"

~*~

   Goku collapsed onto his bed. Staring blankly up at the ceiling, he thought about the day. Specifically, the afternoon. She had talked to him…after three years she decided to talk to him. Could it mean something? No, it couldn't! Why would she ever want anything to do with him anymore? Or was he just thinking too much, and she truly wanted to say hi? He couldn't stand the thoughts…the voices screaming in his head. He would just forget about it, and pretend she never said anything. That was the correct answer…

   Or so he hoped. 

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I hoped you liked that. Want me to continue? Please review! I accept everything from nice reviews to flames (even though I've never gotten one…) If you're going to flame me, however, please use correct grammar. Then maybe I will be able to take you semi-seriously. Flames with horrible grammar will be thoroughly laughed at and made fun of. ^_^

Well, see you later!


	2. Chapter 2

Don't own anything!

Woo! 2 reviews. Go me. LOL.  So GD and Regina, thanks. 

Aw…I'm growing up and doing a romance. LOL. Let's see how I do with this chapter…

Give me time to set up the romance; right now we're more on the drama factor….

And I put some things in here that aren't true to the show (you'll see) so don't yell at me. I know what I'm doing.

Anyway, enjoy!

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_"Uninspired, and growing tired. Why am I so attracted to drama?"_

Chapter 2

   Science. Goku hated science. Sure, his father had once been a scientist, and he was pretty smart himself when he wanted to be, but school science was just so—so incredibly boring. He couldn't take the endless lectures on why you just _have to wear those dirty, unsanitary goggles, and what acids will do to you. He knew what acids would do to you. THEY BURN YOU! He even knew it from personal experience! Because of this, they didn't need lectures about it every other second. _

   Goku yawned as the teacher walked into the room. He prepared himself for the same boring class. But then again, he did have a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that something strange would happen today. 

   "Hello class. Today, I will be giving you partners for the project we talked about yesterday."

   "Project? What project?" Goku asked, sitting back in his chair. He strummed his fingers against the desk as he awaited his answer.

   "We went over it yesterday Goku. Pay attention, or are those two words not in your vocabulary?"

   "Are you taking me to be a fool?" He sat back up.

   "You seem to have proven it in this class."

   "I am no fool. You, my dear teacher, are the fool." 

   "I will not be spoken in such a way! Outside, and I will deal with you later."

   Goku stood up, smirked at the teacher and started to make his way out of the room. "Screw you." he muttered.

   The teacher sighed heavily. She always had trouble with him. He seemed bright enough to her, but he never once applied himself. An idea then came to her—who his lab partner in the project would be. 

   "Mr. Son, before you go." She said, making him turn around. "I would like to tell you who your lab partner will be."

   Goku smiled ruefully at her, "Krillin, as usual?"

   "No, ChiChi."

   Goku rolled his eyes. Great. Just…excellent. How he would survive this, he didn't know. 

   "But Mrs. Shima…" ChiChi whined.

   "No buts! You two are partners." 

   ChiChi sunk back in her chair and sighed. _How come the past always catches up with you?_ She thought. 

   Goku walked out of the room, and threw his back against the white brick wall. Damn…his life was a mess. 

   Fifty long minutes later, the bell rung. After all the students left, Goku was told to enter Mrs. Shima's room. He strolled in, sat in one chair, and pulled up another one for his feet. Mrs. Shima stood up in front of Goku, and looked at him.

   "Well? Are you going to lecture me now?" Goku asked, crossing his arms.

   Mrs. Shima sighed. "What am I going to do with you Goku? You continuously show no effort, and I know you have the ability! You curse at me, and you show me no respect! How long am I suppose to take that? Are you trying to get yourself thrown out or something?"

   Goku smirked, and crossed his arms. "Just give up on me and throw me out. I don't care. It's not like I want to be here"

   "I don't believe in lost causes."

   "Are you done?"

   "Yes"

   "Well then before I leave," Goku kicked the chair away from him, and stood up, "why did you pair me with ChiChi instead of Krillin? You know, we haven't talked in years." 

   "Exactly."

   Goku looked at her…then he got it. It struck him like a ton of bricks. It was meant to get them together…to make him better. Damn…he couldn't let his teacher win. "You think you're so slick, putting ChiChi and me together as partners. Well, I'm onto your little plan, and it will never work."

   "People may surprise you sometimes. Give it a chance, maybe you two aren't so different after all."

   "This is a lost cause." Goku shook his head as he made his way to the door.

   "Like I said before, I don't believe in lost causes." Mrs. Shima crossed her arms, and smiled.

   Goku scoffed, "Yeah, whatever."

   "See you tomorrow Goku."

   He said nothing, and left.

~*~

   Goku quickly made his way out of the school. He had to find ChiChi, and find her fast, just to make a few things clear. 

   He found her by a car with a group of girls. Taking in a deep breath, he made his way over to her group.

   "Hey ChiChi, can I talk to you for a sec?"

   The girls looked at Goku blankly. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead as they stared at him. He felt really uncomfortable.

   "Um…alone, please?"

   The girls rolled their eyes and started to leave, muttering things like "Loser" and "Freak". Goku ignored them. By this time, he had grown used to it. 

   "What is it Goku? I haven't had the best of days today." 

   "Well neither have I. Look, neither of us want to be partners in our science class, but it can't be any other way. I say we get this done tomorrow night, and then we won't have to say anything else to each other."

   "Oh Goku, I'm hurt." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Before Goku could continue talking, she opened her mouth. "Oh, and you know when I talked to you yesterday? It was nothing, I just saw you staring at me."

   Goku scoffed, "Whatever, I don't care. Now, come over to my house tonight to get this done. Do you need directions, or have you actually remembered where I live after all these years?" He said coldly.

   "No, I remember, thank you very much."

   "Okay, good. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and left, brushing pass all her friends. "I'm done talking to her. She's all yours." He said to them.

   "Fine, reject." One of the girls said. They burst into laughter as they walked away from him.

   Goku shuddered. Since day one, they had been like that. He didn't know what he did to deserve it, but that particular group had always tried to make his life miserable. Maybe they succeeded, maybe they didn't, Goku didn't really know or care. He figured that they just knew some secret about him that he told ChiChi when they were younger.

   Well, that didn't matter anymore. The damage had been done. He just needed to survive as ChiChi's partner for a few days, and everything would be fine. Just fine…

   Yeah, right.

~*~

   "Hey Kakarott, is that you?" Bardock called through the house.

   "Yeah, it's me." Goku threw his backpack to the side, and continued to the kitchen. 

   "We're having company tonight."

   Goku opened the refrigerator. "Who?"

   "Bulma's coming back from college. She's going to visit us tonight. Supposedly, she has a new boyfriend to show off." 

   "Nice!" Goku said, smiling. Bulma was another good friend of his. She was always there for him, and always there to root for him, unlike some other person…

   But another boyfriend? Goku was caught off guard with this. She had always been with Yamcha. She seemed to live and breath with Yamcha. This was interesting news, very interesting news. 

   "So, she's not with Yamcha anymore?"

   "Guess not. I heard to be careful around this new guy though. Seems like he has a short temper."   

   "Really? Then I guess they're perfect for each other."

   Bardock laughed. "How true that is. I heard he's a stubborn guy too." Goku laughed, and Bardock continued. "Also heard that he's into martial arts." 

   Goku's eyes widened. "Nice! I can spar with him!"

   "Oh no you don't. You have school work."

   "But dad…"

   "I said no."

   Goku paused a moment. "Oh yeah, before I forget. ChiChi's coming over tonight."

    Bardock looked at Goku quickly. "I thought you two hated each other now. She hasn't been over here in forever."

   "Dumbass science teacher made us partners."

   "Oh."

   "Yeah."

   There was another pause of silence. This often happened between Goku and Bardock. No matter how well it seemed between them, there was always awkward moments, just for the fact that they hadn't met until Goku was around eleven or twelve. Goku had wished him back from the dead after he had found out about him. How Goku found out this information, Bardock didn't know, but he was happy to be alive again.

   A happy tune rang through the house. Goku ran quickly to the door to answer it. Opening the door, a huge smile broke across his face. There stood one of the most beautiful women he had ever known. 

   "Bulma! You're home!" He instantly gave her a warm huge.

   Bulma laughed, taking his embrace. "Nice to see you to Goku. Now, let me in!"

   Goku backed out of his embrace, and let Bulma in. A man followed after her. 

   "So Bulma how's college life?"

   "It's great!" Bulma exclaimed. "Especially since I'm graduating this year! I can't wait to get out into the real world!" 

   Goku laughed. "That's great. Follow me, dad's in the kitchen."

   Goku quickly led Bulma and the other man into the kitchen. For a second, Bardock flinched. He did not need to turn around to feel who was with Bulma. He knew that ki signature all too well…

   "Baka…" he muttered without turning around

   "Low class…" The man growled back.

   Goku looked from the man to his father. How in the hell did they know each other?

   Bardock turned around and smiled. "Bulma! Welcome home!" He walked over to Bulma, and gave her a huge hug. Bulma smiled and hugged him back. Bardock kissed Bulma lightly on the head—she had always been a daughter to him. He would gladly give up his life before he let anything to her. 

   Bulma pulled away, still smiling. "Bardock, Goku, this is my boyfriend. His name is Vege—"

   "I know good and well what his name is." Bardock interrupted. "Make yourself comfortable Prince."

   "I don't need you're hospitality, low class." Vegeta barked at Bardock. 

   Bulma looked between the two. Maybe bringing Vegeta wasn't such a good idea after all…he had warned her about it. 

   "What is it with you two?" Goku asked innocently. "You have some rivalry or something?"

   "It was his fault that our planet was blown up." Vegeta snorted.

   "My fault? Because I trained hard, listened to Freiza, and completed my missions? He should have been thanking me!"

   "How did you survive anyway? You were in the atmosphere and killed with everyone else, if the story is correct."

   "I didn't survive. I got wished back by my son, Kakarott."

   Vegeta smirked, "Ah, Kakarott. You're that baby that wouldn't shut up. The one with the low power level. Everyone knew you would amount to nothing."

   Goku shook his head. No, he did not just insult him! NO ONE insulted Goku and got away with it. "No." He said, shaking his head. "No one says something like that to me. I heard you like to fight. Well, let's step outside, and see what you got." 

   Vegeta smirked. "Fine, we'll see. You lead the way, boy."

   Goku lead Vegeta to the front door. Oh, Vegeta would pay. Yes, Goku would give him a battle he would never forget. 

   Goku opened the door, and was surprised to see what he had found.

   "Hi Goku, nice day, isn't it?"

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   I hope you guys liked that. Remember to review! ^_^

Oh, and if you want to be e-mailed about this fic being updated, please leave your e-mail in a review. Thanks! ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

Don't own anything!

Well, looks like I have 7 whole reviews. Go me! ^_^ I don't really have anything to say here, so from the screwed up mind of wind, I present you chapter 3!

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_"Don't turn around, don't look ahead, I won't listen to all the lies I'm fed. I don't have to listen to you, so don't you fucking tell me what to do."_

   Goku stared at the girl in front of him, shocked.

   "ChiChi, why are you here? We agreed on tomorrow night, remember?"

   "Because," ChiChi said, stroking her hair, "I wanted to get to work on the project. The sooner we get it done, the less time we spend together, right?"

   "I guess…but I was just about to spar…"

   ChiChi looked behind Goku. "Who's that?"

   "Oh, this is Vegeta, Bulma's new boyfriend."

   "Bulma's back in town? I HAVE to say hi!" She squealed. She pushed past Goku and Vegeta, and headed into the house.

   "Who's she?" Vegeta asked in a rude tone.

   "Long story…you really don't want to hear it."

   "Oh."     
   "Well, looks like we won't be able to spar tonight…" Goku said, looking down at Vegeta.

   "Damn, and I really wanted to fight a kid too." Vegeta's voice dripped with sarcasm. 

   "I wouldn't have that huge ego if I were you. You might be surprised. I'm the strongest and most skilled fighter around here."

   Vegeta laughed, "Okay kid, whatever you say. When you're done dealing with school and that woman, we'll have our little spar." Again, every word was said with unbelievable sarcasm.

   Goku rolled his eyes. People just never learn when to not underestimate him. School was one thing, but almost everyone knew not to mess with him in a fight. He was the best martial artist around, and there was no denying it.

   Vegeta turned and walked into the house. Goku sighed and followed, dragging his feet behind him.

   ~*~

   "Bulma!"

   "ChiChi!"

   Bulma and ChiChi held each other in a tight hug. 

   "So," Bulma said, pulling away from ChiChi. "I see you and Goku have finally gotten together. I have been waiting for years to see this!"

   Wait a second…WAIT A SECOND! _Where the heck did Bulma get this idea?_ ChiChi thought. Oh yeah, why else would she be over there? Idiot…

   ChiChi held up her hands, "Oh no, we're not going out. No one would ever give Goku a second glance. You just stay away from him."

   Bulma looked shocked. "What? Why? He's so sweet."

   "Reject is about to flunk out of school. I don't hang out with people like that." ChiChi whispered. 

   "Like that?" Bulma raised an eyebrow. 

   "I have an image to maintain. It wouldn't look good if I was seen hanging out with him."

   Goku paused around the corner to listen. So that's what she really thought of him—as a candidate for high school dropout. Her "image" was more important than any friendship she ever had. Suddenly, Goku felt upset and angry. Angry at her leaving him, for dumping their friendship like it was nothing for a bunch of girls who probably didn't care for her as much as he once did. He clenched his fists, trying to keep his power from exploding. 

   "Is that all kids today care about?" Bulma asked. "Have you taken a single glance at Goku lately?"

   "What are you talking about?"

   "He's practically a man now! He's strong, good-looking, and incredibly sweet. He'd never hurt a fly, nevertheless another innocent human being. He's the perfect guy! I'm surprised that someone hasn't already snatched him up."

   "Bulma…you know the Goku from the Dragonball hunts. You haven't seen him since then. He's changed. Maybe you can't see it, but I can." 

   "No, I can see clearly. You're being blinded by your cliques and so called "images" You have to maintain."

   "You were the same exact way Bulma, and you know it. You're practically a legend at our school."

   Bulma sighed. ChiChi had her there. She practically was a legend at the high school. Most popular, prettiest, smartest…the list could go on. Trudging through the living room, Goku pushed past ChiChi and Bulma to go into his room. Loud music could be heard from the door…

_Everything to lose_

_Nothing to prove_

_Just when everything has fallen to the ground_

_Gonna knock it down_

_Just believe me when I tell you its all right_

   ChiChi rolled her eyes. Music was always something Goku was obsessively into. She always remembered him listening to anything with depressing lyrics. Most of the time, they were empty words to him, but he never ceased to find the meaning in the songs. ChiChi turned away from Bulma, and headed over to Goku's room. She knocked lightly on the door with her knuckle, and waiting for him to open the door.

   "What do you want?" A rough voice said through the door.

   "Goku, it's me."

   "Come in."

   ChiChi cautiously opened the door. It had been ages since she had been in there, and god only knew how much it had changed. Peeking in, it looked relatively normal. There was a single bed and a dresser, along with scattered clothes and other items. You could barely see the walls, since almost every square inch was covered with one picture or another. Over in the far corner there was a bookshelf. There were few books in it, but for the most part it was filled with either CDs or movies. 

   "So," She said, looking through his CD collection. 

   "So," Goku repeated, sprawled out on his bed. 

   "Nice CD collection you have here."

   "I try."

   There was an awkward silence. Looking around more, ChiChi found a picture frame face down on Goku's desk. Walking over to it, she reached to pick it up.

   "You don't want to see that," Goku said quickly, jumping up.

   ChiChi smiled, and flipped it over. The smile quickly diminished, as she looked the picture over. It was of her and Goku, right before they broke off the friendship. Both Goku and ChiChi smiled brilliantly at the camera, their arms around each other in a best friends sort of way. ChiChi quickly flipped the picture down to its original position. She stared blankly at a wall, so she did not have to look at Goku in the eyes.

   "Do you really think that about me?" Goku said quietly, looking down.

   "Goku, you know your image. You also know my image."

   "Is that all you care about? What _they_ think about you?" He emphasized the word "they" as he spoke.

   "They?" 

   "Those friends of yours. Do you think they really care?"

   "Of course they do!" ChiChi exclaimed, the anger rising in her voice. Her friends would never betray her! 

   Goku shook his head, "Poor, naïve ChiChi. You're so blind. As soon as you do anything they disapprove of, they'll kick you out of the clique."

   ChiChi furiously shook her head, "No way! They would never do that to me!" She screamed, her blood boiling. How dare he talk to her that way? Goku did not even know her friends! 

   Goku sighed, and fell back onto the bed. He stared blankly at the ceiling, his hand behind his head. Why him? Why did he have to be stuck with her as his partner? 

   "So are we going to do this stupid science thing?" ChiChi asked, crossing her arms across her chest. He sighed deeply.

   "Fine." Goku said in a monotone voice. Getting off his bed, he walked over to his bookshelf, and took a science kit off the top shelf. He set it down on a clear spot in his room, and sat in front of it. He started to mix different liquids together, noting down reactions and such on a piece of paper.

   ChiChi raised an eyebrow, "You know what you're doing?" She walked over and sat across from Goku. Grabbing two test tubes, she prepared to pour one liquid into another tube.

   "Don't do that! It'll explode!" Goku yelled, stopping his work.

   ChiChi laughed, "I know what I'm doing! Remember who has the better grade here."

   Goku gritted his teeth. Just because he didn't try in school didn't mean that he was an idiot. Fine, he would let her blow up the room, killing the two of them. Whatever, he didn't care what happened to his life. Actually, he started to think about what they would say in the newspaper about him.

**_Son Goku, dead_**

**_Age 18, attended Orange Star High School_**

**_Found dead after his room blew up due to a mix of chemicals for a science project_**

****

   Goku shook his head. What a horrible way to go.

   ChiChi poured a green liquid into a blue liquid. She shook them together, causing them to fizz. Maybe Goku was wrong, and they wouldn't blow up.

   The newly mixed liquid steamed, overflowed onto ChiChi's hand, and burned it. ChiChi yelped and dropped the test tube, nurturing her burnt hand. The test tube promptly fell, spilling the liquid all over the place.

   Three…

   Two…

   One…

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Don't kill me that Goku and Vegeta didn't fight. They will in the future, I promise. ^_^

Anyway, Reviews always appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

Don't own anything!

Thanks for the reviews everyone! I really appreciate it. 

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_"The world's nothing but a lie and everyone is going to die. But what can I say? Just help me make it through today. You don't need a destination just to go somewhere in life." _

Chapter 4

   Goku stared blankly into the forest surrounding his house. Was he alive? Everything was completely destroyed. His room and the rest of the house were reduced to black ashes. He slowly looked around him. Everything else seemed untouched by the explosion. Slowly, he lifted his hands up before him. They were as black as coal from the remaining ashes. Well, at least they weren't blown off. Now what was Bardock going to say about the explosion?

   ChiChi was almost in hysterics. Tears welled up in her eyes as she frantically made sure her body was still intact. Maybe Goku was right. Maybe she should have listened to him. Mixing unknown chemicals was a bad idea. No wonder why they forbade it at school. 

   She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small mirror. Snapping it open, she looked in the mirror to check her face…

   And she shrieked. 

   Goku looked over to ChiChi. Standing up, he stumbled over to her to see what was wrong. He fell heavily on the ground, and sighed. 

   "What's wrong now?" He asked. 

   "My…my hair!" She screamed, running a hand through it, "It's all burnt! My beautiful hair!" She shed a few tears. 

   Goku rolled his eyes, "You should be more concerned about your hand there. The chemicals are starting to eat through your skin."

   ChiChi dropped the mirror. The skin on her hand boiled like water. It seemed to turn into liquid, running off her hand like small rivers. 

   Except they weren't rivers. It was skin…_her_ skin. She looked at her hand with a horrified look etched on her face. ChiChi was convinced that she was going to die. After the chemicals ate off her hand, they would devour her arm. After her arm it would move onto the rest of her body, and that would be it. Goodbye ChiChi…

   _I'm going to die a virgin, she thought. __I'm going to die sad and alone. No one loves me enough to save me…_

   ChiChi was jerked out from her thoughts as Goku grabbed her good wrist. "Come on," He said, lifting her into the air, "We have to get the chemicals out before your hand is destroyed. I know a nearby lake."

   ChiChi nodded as he scooped her up into his arms. She shuddered, the shivers continuously going up and down her spine. Her hand was starting to hurt more by the second.  She bit her bottom lip to try to suppress any screams from escaping her throat. A few tears dripped slowly down her cheeks as her lip started to bleed. Between her hand and her lip, she felt as if she were going to drop dead at any moment.

   Goku looked down at ChiChi, "Does it hurt?" He asked softly.

   ChiChi nodded weakly in reply. She was really scared now. 

   "We're almost there, don't worry. You'll be okay. I won't let anything happen to you." Goku whispered, flying faster. Soon they came to a gorgeous lake. The water sparkled, the light bouncing off into different directions. Trees outlined the place to hold off any unwanted visitors. It seemed the only way in and out was by the sky.

   Goku landed quickly next to the lake. Setting ChiChi down next to him, he grabbed her wrist and thrust it into the water. ChiChi cringed as the water seeped into her wound. It stung like a thousand bees had attacked her at the same exact time. She resorted to biting on her lip again to try to ease the pain. 

   After a few minutes, Goku took ChiChi's hand out of the water. He reached across his chest with his free hand and ripped his sleeve. Laying it neatly on the ground, he laid ChiChi's hand at one end, and started to wrap it. 

   ChiChi stared at Goku in amazement. It was beyond her how Goku could know _anything. She quickly looked away as Goku looked up at her. _

   Goku tugged at the cloth. Securing the end under another piece wrapped around ChiChi's hand, he looked at her and smiled, "You're fine now. The hand should be okay, just go easy on it for a few days to let it heal properly." 

   ChiChi blushed, "Thanks, but…" She stared down at her hand.

   Goku blushed and laughed nervously, realizing that he was still holding it. 

   He stood up, "I guess we should go now."

   "I guess."

   Goku picked ChiChi up, and flew from the lake. After only a few moments of flying, they came back to Goku's burnt down house with a very angry Bardock waiting for them.

   Goku and ChiChi landed next to Bardock. Goku softly placed ChiChi on the ground next to him. _Here comes the screaming, Goku thought. __Better brace yourself._

   Bardock sighed in deeply, trying to contain his anger. His house…his one and only house was burnt to ashes. 

   "Kakarott, there better be a good explanation for this. I had to send Bulma and Vegeta away so I could deal with you." 

   "I screwed up mixing some chemicals. I didn't mean to make the house explode." Goku said calmly. He winked at ChiChi to let her know that he was going to take the blame. There was no need to drag her into the problem, even if it was her fault. 

   Bardock clenched his fists, "You idiot. You ruined my house."

   "Our house Dad."

   "I BUILT IT, THEREFORE IT IS MY HOUSE!"

   "Whoa, chill. It was only an accident. I'm sorry I screwed up."

   "WHERE THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO STAY? I'M NOT GOING TO END UP LIVING IN THE WOODS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE LIKE YOU ALMOST DID!"

   "You can stay at my place Bardock" ChiChi said, "Goku lied, it's really my fault. He warned me against it, and I didn't listen."

  "ChiChi, I'll take care of this," Goku said, turning to ChiChi.

  ChiChi shook her head, "No, I insist you both stay at my place to make up for this. I'll even help you find a new house to live in. It's the least I can do." She paused for a moment, "Besides, if it weren't for you, my hand would be gone right now."

   Goku looked at Bardock. Bardock's fists relaxed as he thought about the offer. "Fine," he said, "We'll take the offer."

   ChiChi smiled, "Good. We can go now."

   "That's the girl I used to know. Always trying to help people." Goku whispered to himself. 

   ChiChi looked at Goku, "Did you say something?"

   "No."

   "Okay," She paused, "I have a few requests though."

   "Name it."

   "We can't show up at school together. I don't want people thinking things. No one is to know about this either. Got it?"

   Goku sighed. So much for the girl he used to know. "Fine, whatever." He said, "Now I think you'll need a ride to your house, since everything was destroyed in the explosion." Goku cupped his hands around his mouth, "Nimbus!" He called out, "Come to me, Nimbus!" 

   A few second later, the infamous flying cloud came zooming through the air. It came to a quick stop in front of Goku.

   "Okay, ChiChi. Let's see if your heart is still pure. Hop on."

   ChiChi breathed in slowly. Holding her breath, she jumped on, and hoped that she didn't fall through. She landed safely on the cloud. Breathing a sigh of relief, she flashed a smile at Goku. 

   "Interesting. Despite the fact that you've given me the silent treatment for the last couple of years, Nimbus seems to still consider you pure hearted." Goku said, stroking his chin in a detective like manner. 

   "Shut up." ChiChi simply said, "Nimbus, to my house." Nimbus then zoomed off, leaving a trail of dust behind it. Goku and Bardock both lifted into the air, and followed after into the sunset.

~*~

   "Goku, what's this I hear about you staying at ChiChi's house?"

   Goku slammed his locker door and looked down at Krillin. How could the school find out about him staying at ChiChi's house within a day? He thought this was supposed to stay a secret. 

   "Where did you hear that?"

   "It's all over the school."

   Goku sighed, "It's true. You have to deny it to anyone who asks though, okay?"

   Krillin eyes Goku suspiciously, "Okay, whatever you say…"

   "Thank you," Goku said, letting out a sigh.

   "So, have you done anything with her?"

   "What!?"

   "Well you're not staying at her house for no reason! You guys must have done something together!" 

   "Krillin shut up! I don't want people getting ideas!"

   "Well?"

   "She blew up my house."

   Krillin blinked, "Wow, that sucks…"

   "Yeah…" 

   "So, you didn't make out with her or anything?"

   "No, I didn't."

   "Not even one little kiss?"

   "Krillin, shut up"

   "Nothing? Come on, bro. You can tell me."

   "SHUT UP!" 

   "Shutting up…" 

   Goku left Krillin and pushed through the student body of Orange Star High School. Goku caught several rumors being thrown around, mostly about him and ChiChi.

   He would die a happy man if all those rumors he heard were true.

   Then came the "He's not good enough for her," and the "She's popular, and he's a loser. It would never work." Goku silently wove his way in and out of the crowd while listening to the conversations. Every single comment was negative towards him and positive towards ChiChi. Is this really what everyone thought of him? They were all so shallow. 

   People are always ready to eat up gossip like its life support. You can't live with it, yet you can't live without it. Gossip is essential to a higher self-esteem level. You put others down to make yourself feel better. It's a fact in life. No one will ever be sensitive to other people's feelings. 

   Goku came up with a solution: all humans are ruthless when it comes to gossip. Thank God he wasn't one.

   He quickly exited the school without waiting for Krillin. Quickly taking off, he headed to his temporary home.

   Goku could tell one thing: it was going to be a long week.

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    Hope you liked this chapter! Reviews are greatly appreciated. Cyber alcoholic drinks for everyone who reviews! ^_^


	5. Chapter 5

Don't own anything!

Everyone, thanks for the reviews. You have no clue how much I appreciate them. **Hands out pina coladas to everyone**

And now…

From the screwed up mind of wind, I present you the 5th chapter…

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_"Here I am sitting on the beach again, watching as the tide comes rolling in. I miss the times when I looked into your eyes. A sacrifice I made for paradise."_

Chapter 5

   _It was a gorgeous evening. The sun glowed a brilliant orange hue, mixing perfectly with the radiant yellows and blues in the sky. A small breeze swayed the forest trees, and caused small waves in the sparkling lake. There was a calming silence in the air, causing everything to take on a peaceful appearance. _

_   Goku and ChiChi walked across the soft grass together. They laughed and chatted, like any pair of best friends would do. Goku had something in mind though—he had a reason for bringing ChiChi to the lake. He took in a deep breath, and turned so that they faced each other. It was now or never…_

_   "Hey Chi, we'll always be best friends, right?" His voice shook a bit, as if he were afraid of something._

_   "Of course! That'll never change!" ChiChi laughed, "What's this about?"_

_   Goku's heart jumped a beat as he spoke, "Do—Do you think that we could ever be anything more than just friends?" _

_   The smile on ChiChi's face grew wider, "Are you asking me out?" It was obvious that she wasn't taking Goku seriously._

_   Goku grabbed her hands, "ChiChi, you have to take me seriously here. I—I don't know what it is, but every time I'm with you, I feel different. I think—I think I'm in love with you."_

_   ChiChi pulled her hands away, and her smile faded, "Goku, we're fourteen years old. You just don't find your true love this young."_

_   "So I guess that means you're rejecting me?" _

_   "I'm sorry."_

_   "No, it's okay. I don't know what I was thinking. It was a bad idea, anyway." _

_   ChiChi gave Goku a quick hug, "I'm going to go. I'll talk to you later."  Without waiting for a response, she walked past Goku, and disappeared from his sight. Goku fell back onto the grass and sighed. He promptly decided that he had set himself up for rejection. Besides, you can't find your soul mate at fourteen, can you?_

   Goku leaned his head against the headboard to his bed. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Why was that memory coming back to him now? It haunted his mind, like an endless nightmare. That was the last time he talked to ChiChi before high school. It had upset him the first year of school that she avoided him. He felt like a thousand knives were stabbed in his back that whole year.

   That year also marked the beginning of his downfall. 

   In Goku's mind, school was useless. He firmly believed that teachers never taught anything useful. From hour to hour you were forced to memorize useless facts that would not prepare you for living alone. The world had become a passive place through this teaching, and the cowards spawned from schools caused it to be in a constant disorder. Goku would never stand for such a thing. He would continuously skip classes to train, just in case something happened. If a person were going to attack his home, he would definitely be in the way.  As he started to ditch school, rumors started to fly around about Goku. As any high school student knows, gossip spreads like a wildfire in school. Before he knew it, Goku was shunned from just about the entire school. The only person to stick by his side was Krillin, who wasn't quite accepted himself.     

   Goku sighed heavily again. His ears perked up when he heard the sound of a soft knock travel through the door. He coughed once and told the person to come in. ChiChi peaked her head through the door before entering. She closed the door behind her and stood across from Goku, her hands folded together. 

   "Hey," ChiChi said, before slightly blushing, "Goku…" ChiChi blushed even more as she noticed that Goku was only wearing a pair of white boxers. _Look at his face, Look at his face, Look at his face, She thought desperately. _

   _But his body was so gorgeous!_

   ChiChi mentally smacked herself. No…this was not happening. She struggled to keep her self from scanning Goku's perfect body from head to toe. 

   "What is it?" 

   ChiChi blinked twice before noticing that Goku had asked her a question, "Um…aren't you bothered by being in front of me in boxers?" She asked, her voice almost coming out as a squeak.

   Goku shook his head, "No, not really." 

   ChiChi laughed nervously, "You were never the modest type…"

   Goku knew ChiChi wasn't there to talk about old times, "What is it? Why are you really here?" He asked suspiciously. There was no telling with ChiChi. She was just too unpredictable.

   "I wanted to apologize for today."

   "Why?" 

   "I don't know how everyone found out that you were staying here, and I'm truly sorry for all those rumors and comments going around about you."

   "Ill live. It's not like I'm not all ready used to it."

   "I'm really sorry." ChiChi turned to leave. She had her hand grasped around the doorknob, when Goku interrupted her departure.

   "ChiChi, why did you leave me? Why did you leave our friendship?"

   ChiChi stiffened, "It's something I'd rather not talk about," She said simply without turning around, "Goodnight." She opened the door, and disappeared as quickly as she came.

   "WELL, _MAYBE_ IF YOU TOLD ME THEN _MAYBE_ I COULD FIX IT!" Goku screamed through the door. It was no use though. ChiChi wouldn't come back through that door, as much as he wanted her to. 

   He wondered why he even cared in the first place. It never bothered him after freshman year, so why would it bother him now? He hated his mind for thinking too much. He wondered if his mind could explode with all the thoughts that passed through it. Not only that, but at night thoughts are a million times worst that they seem during the day. 

   And so he went back to his original thought. Why would he even care about what ChiChi said? Why would he care about something that happened years before?

   Goku shook his head. He was tired of the thoughts taking over his mind. He forced them into a back corner of his mind. Clicking off the lights, he lie down on the bed, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

~*~

   He always noticed that the city was a crowded place. The skyscrapers reached towards the clouds, as if they wanted to become stairways to Heaven. Each building had thousands of windows, which looked into the lives of thousands of unhappy workers. Workaholics owned the offices inside. None of the office buildings were ever truly empty, for they always had at least one person trying to finish some important census, or someone else typing furiously to prepare for a presentation. They all hated their jobs and really, he was surprised that every single one of the workers hadn't cracked and jump out of their office windows yet. He really had to give them credit for living such an awful life. 

   That's why he wouldn't be like them. He refused to be like them. He was going to live a happy life. 

   _A happy, fulfilling life. _

   He was a long way off from that.

   Goku pushed through the filthy streets of Satan City. The sides of the streets were littered with empty—and full— Styrofoam cups, newspapers, and other unsanitary items. Some of the people were just a filthy, just in a different way. Many of the people walking down the street walked as if they were royalty, and everyone must watch them float past. Yes, they don't walk—they float. 

   "What the hell do you mean you contracted that!?" A man screamed through his cell phone, "I didn't give it to you!" Goku collided into him as the man stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. The man gave Goku a disgusted look, and pushed past him, "Does this mean you were cheating on me?" The man continued to scream, "I swear, I'm going to kill whoever—" 

   Goku shook his head, and continued to walk quickly. He didn't want to hear anymore of that conversation. Cell phones were the worst things to use in a city. Why would you want anyone hearing about your personal life? It was disgusting sometimes, the things Goku would hear. In a way, he felt intrusive, even thought it wasn't his fault. No matter though—he just had to block it all out and keep going. 

   There was a reason Goku went into the city though, if only he could actually remember it…

   Oh yeah, money. He wanted to win some money. There were always amateur martial arts competitions going on around the inner city. If you knew the right places, you could rake in some big cash.   
   The roaring of a crowd drew Goku to a nearby ring. This was great. The crowd screamed as people fought for money. Some people cheered while they collected money, while others groaned at the fact that they had bet on the wrong person. The atmosphere was so crazy, so refreshing. Goku smiled as he made his way through the crowd to the ring. He was interested in seeing who was fighting that morning. 

   A man with a huge Afro stepped into the ring. He cheered, trying to rev up the crowd, but no such luck came. No one seemed to buy his act. The man continued to cheer, raising his fists into the air, making peace signs with his fingers. Goku smacked himself in the forehead. This guy was a total idiot. He pitied the fighter in a way—he seemed to be a struggling fighter trying to make a name for himself. Goku wondered who the man's opponent would be. 

   Goku was in for a big surprise…

   An announcer walked into the middle of the ring. She coughed once into her mic to catch the crowd's attention. A hushed silence came over the crowd, and the pretty brunette started to talk into the mic.

   "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to present you the undefeated champion! Here's the Lightning Baron!" 

   Goku almost choked. Lightning…Baron? Who in their right mind would call themselves that? Horrible alias, even Goku would never come up with something like that. The crowed cheered as a man with spiky hair entered the ring. He stood at one corner of the ring, his arms crossed over his chest. A small smirk danced on his lips. It was obvious that he was very confident. 

   Goku almost choked again. He suddenly realized that the "Lightning Baron" was Vegeta…

   Oh man, this was too good to be true. Blackmail…ultimate blackmail…

   "Today, the Lightning Baron will be fighting newcomer Hercule Satan!" The girl yelled into the mic. Everyone booed the poor fighter in return. Hercule Satan just stood in his corner, unfazed by the reaction. He must have been used to it by now…

   "Are you ready? Fight!" The girl ran out of the ring as fast as her long legs could carry her. Vegeta—excuse me the _Lightning Baron_—stood in his corner of his ring, staring at his opponent. He seemed to be sizing up Satan's strength, speed, and agility without seeing any action. Vegeta's smirk turned into a frown. He snorted, and turned his back to Satan. "You're not worth my time." Vegeta said rudely. 

   Hercule Satan took a step forward, "Not worth your time? We'll see about that!"

   Vegeta shook his head. The poor guy had no clue what he was getting himself into. Oh well, no need for guilt now. 

   Vegeta moved his head to the right as Hercule came charging at him from behind. Hercule continued his assault on Vegeta, punching at the air several times before Vegeta simply spun around and caught his fist. Vegeta bent Hercule's fist back, and punched him _lightly _in the face. Hercule went flying across the ring, and came to a skidding stop right before the ropes. He slowly stood up, and wiped the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Hercule gritted his teeth, and charged at Vegeta. Vegeta swiftly kicked Hercule in the stomach, sending the newcomer to the ground. Vegeta bent down to Hercule's level and looked at him.

   "You're no match for me. You should give up now." Vegeta said to him.

   Hercule spat out a wad of spit mixed with blood, "No, I never give up." 

   Vegeta shook his head, and picked Hercule up. Vegeta threw Hercule out of the ring, and the match was over.

   The announcer ran back into the ring and raised Vegeta's arm into the air, "The Lightning Baron is once again our champion!" The crowd screamed in approval. They never wanted him to lose.

   No one could beat the great Lighting Baron, anyway. 

   "Can anyone defeat our champion? If you want to challenge the Lightning Baron, step into the ring now!" 

   Goku grabbed the bottom rope to the ring, and pulled himself up. "I will challenge him," He said, smirking at Vegeta. Vegeta smirked in return. This was going to be fun…

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Hey, hoped you liked that. The fight between Goku and Vegeta next chapter, I promise! So you know, review and come back! Everyone will get Strawberry Daiquiris next time! ^_^


	6. Chapter 6

Don't own anything!

Hey everyone, sorry for the late update. It took me forever to write this, and I know you won't be disappointed. As I promised, Vegeta and Goku fight, but there's a tiny surprise at the end of the chapter. ^_^

Gah, school starts next week and I still have to read two books for school, not to mention I have walking pneumonia right now and my grandfather died and I'm missing soccer practice every morning…

Oh, everyone, go to my new web site! It's called "Anywhere The Wind Blows" If you go, make sure you check out my teaser for a new fic called "Killer Queen" that I'm working on! (visit my bio to get the link, I can't put it up here, or it'll screw up the chapter.)^_^

And before I forget…

***hands strawberry daiquiris to all the reviewers***

Okay, enjoy the chapter, and remember to review!   

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Chapter 6__

_"And I'm still here, waiting now, to catch you if you fall. I don't know why I care so much, when I shouldn't care at all."_

   "Goku?" 

   Silence

   "Goku?"

   She was met with a few yawns and a cough. Ms. Shima sighed heavily, "ChiChi?" 

   ChiChi seemed barely alive at her desk. Her arm propped her head up, which was slowly slipping on the hard wood. Her eyes were halfway shut, and a blank expression greeted anyone who passed by her. She covered her mouth as she yawned—she had been up all night. _All night…_

   Thinking about him. Thinking about the guy staying at her house—the one who she never wanted to talk to again. Her former best friend…

   Goku 

   To her, it was his entire fault she was up all night. He just had to ask. That damn question rung in her ears as clearly as she had first heard it.

   _"Why did you leave me?"_

   She could not answer him. She just…could not. Something inside her froze, and she could not come up with a reason. She sat in her bed all night, just trying to think of a possible answer. Her mind seemed numbed by that question. No matter how hard she thought about it, she came up with nothing. Maybe she never wanted to answer that question. Maybe there was something deep down inside that she never wanted to admit to herself…

   She yawned again as her head drooped lower. Sleep…a nice comfortable bed would be really nice right at that moment.

   "CHICHI!"

   ChiChi's head snapped up. She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she looked up at Ms. Shima.

   "ChiChi, are you here?" Ms. Shima asked.

   "Sorry, I had a rough night."

   "Yeah! With Goku!" A boy at the back of the room yelled, "She had a _real rough night with him, if you know what I mean!" _

   ChiChi turned around, now almost fully awake, "You need to shut the hell up!"

    "And what are you going to do about it?" The boy asked, pulling a blonde bang out of his eye, "Are you going to get Reject to help you?"

   "Alan…" ChiChi growled. She was not happy with this. The jerk…he had the nerve…

   "Yes, ChiChi?" The boy Alan said, practically mocking ChiChi. He gave her a sarcastic smile. His eyes shone with amusement.

   "Shut up, before I beat you down. I promise, it will hurt." An evil look entered ChiChi's eyes. She hadn't fought in a long time. Not since…

   She pushed that thought as far away as she could. 

   Alan put his hands up in defense, "Oh, I'm really scared. What, did Goku teach you a few moves from one of his dumbass street fights?"

   ChiChi gave Alan a small smirk, "Of course. Goku's a genius when it comes to street fighting." She paused for a moment. _Did I just defend Goku?_ ChiChi thought. Oh well, too late to turn back now.

   "Let's see it then." Alan jumped out of his seat, and rolled up his sleeves. ChiChi did the same, and dropped into her fighting stance. She was ready to go. God, the last time she felt this alive…

   Yet another thought to tuck at the back of her mind. 

   _Damn it ChiChi! Stop thinking about him! You're not even supposed to be defending him! She screamed at herself. She pulled her fist back, and prepared to attack Allen._

   "CHICHI!" Ms. Shima screamed. Everyone was quiet as ChiChi turned to Ms. Shima. ChiChi had a handful on Alan's shirt by the time she intervened. Everyone forgot the teacher was there, too.

   ChiChi let reluctantly Alan go, and turned to Ms. Shima. 

   Ms. Shima shook her head, "From all people…" She muttered, "ChiChi, Alan, go to the office and see Mr. Zenigata." 

   ChiChi and Alan both nodded slowly, and headed to the office. 

   "So, ChiChi. I never expected to see you in here." Mr. Zenigata peered at ChiChi from behind his desk. Mr. Zenigata was a middle-aged man with brown, thinning hair. It was rumored that in his younger days, he worked for the police, and was sent to chase after to most notorious thief of all time.

   The rumor went that Mr. Zenigata could not catch him, so the police force let him go, and now he is a high school principal. Well, obviously, he's a high school principal…

   "I'm sorry Mr. Zenigata," ChiChi said quietly. She looked down at her hands, ashamed at her behavior. Well, at least one half of her was ashamed. The other half of her was fired up. It was such a rush when she was about to fight. She _belonged in the ring, competing with raw strength. She _wanted _and __needed it. _

   "Well, ChiChi. Apologizing isn't going to get you out of this. You know that fighting is forbidden. You'll have the rest of the day suspended. If you ever do this again, I'm suspending you for a longer length of time, okay?"

   "Yes, sir." ChiChi looked at Mr. Zenigata in the eyes. He nodded to her as a signal to leave. Without smiling, or giving any sign back, she stood up and left.

~*~  

   "Look, isn't that Son Goku?"

   "Yeah, I think it is. Isn't he good or something?"

   "Only the best. He's never lost a battle. Hell, he's never had to work hard to win."

   "You think he can beat the Lighting Baron?"

   "I don't know man. Goku's good, but the Lightning Baron seems better. Whom do you bet on?"

   "Twenty bucks on Goku."

   "Okay, I put twenty on Lightning Baron." 

   Goku smirked as he listened to the conversation. Having great hearing was a definite plus to being a Saiya-Jin. Half the people were on his side. It was extremely good that they knew his name. That way, he could have some needed support. Fighting Vegeta and winning was not going to be an easy task that is for sure.

   "What are you smirking at, kid?" Vegeta asked Goku.  

   Goku chuckled, "You can hear them as well as I can. The crowd is split fifty-fifty, Vegeta."

   "Is that something to be happy about?"

   "Yes, it brings in more money."

   "Interesting. If I beat you, I get more money?"

   "_If you beat me."_

   "_When I beat you." Vegeta crossed his arms, and smirked._

   "Tell me something. Why do you need this money?"

   "That's my business, and my business only."

   "And I'm taking it that Bulma doesn't know about this, and that's why you use a lame alias?"

   "Yes, and it's not lame." Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Can we just get on with this?"

   Goku dropped into a fighting stance, "Fine with me."

   "Okay, let's go."

   "Ready? Fight!"

   As the bell sounded, Goku and Vegeta circled each other. They stayed on their toes, both prepared for a first move from the other. Goku smirked as he leapt off his right foot towards Vegeta. As fast as lightning, Vegeta's left hand sprung across his body, catching Goku's hand. Smirking, Goku brought his left leg back, and prepared to take a swing at Vegeta. Vegeta responded quickly by blocking with his knee. He let go of Goku, and jumped backwards. 

   "So kid, you have some speed there." Vegeta smirked, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

   "I don't like to brag about it." Goku also smirked. This was going to be so much fun…

   "Okay, let's see if you can keep up." As soon as Vegeta finished, he vanished into thin air. No one could tell where the Lightning Baron was. Little glimpses of his muscular body would appear from time to time, leaving nothing but after images of himself. Vegeta's tactics would baffle any opponent. 

   Not Goku though. He smiled, and quickly spun around. Bringing his hand in front of his face, he blocked a kick from Vegeta. On the defense, he backed up, blocking rounds of punches and kicks from Vegeta's mid air attacks. Soon, Vegeta touched the floor of the ring.

   "So, I see this is a warm up for you. You're doing better than I expected, Kakarott." 

   Goku shrugged. It was really nothing to be proud of, really. Fighting was just something that he loved to do, and if he could find a challenge, he would take it in a heartbeat. 

   "Okay kid, let me show you a little secret of mine." Vegeta pushed off into the air. A flare of gold _ki_ surrounded his body as he powered up. Soon, rocks from the ground were surrounding him as his hair started to flicker a vivid gold. Not long after, his hair stood on end, energy crackling around him. He floated down, and stood before Goku. 

   "How's this, kid?"

   Goku smiled, "Well, that's nothing new." He watched Vegeta's smirk turn into a frown. Goku smiled, and transformed. His black, wild hair turned upwards into gold spikes, looking much like Vegeta's. A single bang hung loosely over his forehead. His smile grew wider as Vegeta's frown grew on his face.

   "How? How can you transform? You're nothing but a…"

   "Low class?" Goku finished for him. He knew about the Saiya-Jin caste system. His father was a "Low class" Saiya-Jin, resulting in his own social status. The only thing was that Vegeta-sei no longer existed, so the caste system no longer applied. 

   Vegeta grunted at Goku's response, "Yes, a low class. How the hell did you achieve this? How long have you been able to do this?" 

   Goku tapped his ring finger on the side of his head, "Well, to be exact, I've been doing this for…two years. Yeah, since I was sixteen."

   Vegeta gritted his teeth. He had only been able to transform for about a year. Damn, how could a low class transform before him? It was mind-boggling…

   "Okay Vegeta, now that we have this whole Super Saiya-Jin thing going on, can we get on with the fight, and give these people a show?" Goku asked, the anticipation of the real fight shinning in his eyes. 

   "Okay, warm up is officially over." 

~*~   

   ChiChi wandered down the streets of West City. What was she going to do with her time now? She would be in so much trouble if her father found out that she had been suspended for the rest of the day. Damn Goku, it was his entire fault, really. Actually, it was Alan's fault…

   She flowed with the crowd, letting them take her to random places. After aimlessly wandering for five minutes or so, she stumbled upon a match taking place. There was an eerie silence over the crowd, as if they were hypnotized by the match taking place. ChiChi looked at the golden figures in the ring. They gracefully moved around, more as if they were dancing rather than fighting. Her mouth hung open as she too, was sucked into the fight, seeing it more of an art form than anything. She watched as the punches were thrown at high speeds. Neither fighter seemed fatigued in any way, A fight this magnificent rarely came in amateur fighting. What a great day to get suspended…

   Goku crossed his arm in front of his face as he blocked Vegeta's fists. Bruises covered his arms and legs, yet no cuts seemed to appear yet. On the defense, Goku fluently moved his hands to block Vegeta's punches. He patiently waited for the best time to counter attack, which seemed to be coming very slowly…

   Vegeta gritted his teeth, frustrated that he could not get a good hit on Goku. He was not nearly as badly bruised as Goku, but somehow, his reflexes had gotten better throughout the fight. Switching up his strategy, Vegeta threw in a kick to Goku's stomach, sending him against the ropes. Flying towards Goku, he grabbed onto Goku's shirt, and started to furiously punch Goku in the face. Goku grunted as he took the beating, unable to stop it. Vegeta did not stop until a clot of blood went flying from Goku's mouth. Finally, he had broken some skin. 

   Goku gave a small cough. Leaping forward, he started to unsuccessfully punch at Vegeta. The last beating seemed to take a toll on him. Stumbling forward, he felt pressure from his back as he fell I the ring. Swaying rapidly, he struggled to stand up. Vegeta flew forward, and elbowed Goku in the face. Goku stepped backwards and tried to regain his composure. He had never lost a fight…he could not lose now. 

   Vegeta stepped back, "Give it up kid. You can't beat me."

   Goku flashed his eyes up at Vegeta, "I can, and I will." Goku stood up tall, and screamed. The energy raging around him, he sprung off one foot towards Vegeta. He rapidly punched Vegeta in the face, sending him backwards. A kick to the stomach sent Vegeta's against the ropes. Goku flew at him, and started to kick him in the stomach, ending with an elbow to the face. 

   In a flash, Goku went flying backwards. It seemed that he was gaining the upper hand, and then something happened. Vegeta coughed up some blood, and walked towards Goku, who was now lying on the ground. He smirked, and put his hand up, palm facing forward.

   "What was that bit about beating me? You never had a chance from the beginning, and you know it. The determination and courage is commendable, though. I'll give you that much credit. Here's my last attack for you. I know the crowd will love it." 

   ChiChi pushed forward to get a better look at the fighters. Who ever they were, they had incredible energy. She had to see who they were. As she pushed up to the first row, one of the bodies became familiar to her. 

   Goku…losing? 

   She watched as the Lightning Baron powered up a ball of energy in his hand. She gasped as something flashed through her mind. Goku was far too tired to block it, and it would put him in critical condition for sure. Out of nowhere, she found herself climbing the ropes of the ring. She ran out in front of Goku, outstretching her arms so that Goku seemed fully behind her. 

   "Stupid girl, what are you doing?" Vegeta let the ball of energy disappear. 

   "You can't attack him anymore. You'll kill him with that attack you were going to use."

   "What do you know about fighting?"

   ChiChi stared at Vegeta in the eyes, "I know my share about fighting. I could feel that attack. You were putting more power than you meant to into that attack."

   Vegeta crossed his arms and smirked, "Now was I? Aren't you the one that hates him? Would it be so bad if he were dead?" 

   "I…" ChiChi was lost for words. She suddenly recognized that the fighter was Vegeta, Bulma's new boyfriend.  She had heard that he was a ruthless fighter. 

   Vegeta raised his hand again, "Get out of the way, or this is going through you, too."

   ChiChi shook her head, and remained in front of Goku. _I'm crazy_, she thought, _why the hell am I doing this?_

   "ChiChi, get out of the way, Vegeta and I need to finish this." Goku said in a raspy voice. ChiChi turned the upper half of her body so she could see Goku. 

   "No, you're going to get killed, and I can't let that happen." She promptly turned around and look at Vegeta again.

   Vegeta sighed, "Kakarott, what are you going to do about this woman?

   "Vegeta, I give up. It's very uncharacteristic of me, but I give up. She's probably right anyway. I'm in no shape to fight any longer." Goku closed his eyes, and accepted his defeat. It was painful, but it had to be done. He would just have to train and get stronger. Those days not training during the week were taking a toll on his strength. 

   ChiChi sighed a breath of relief as she dropped her arms. Spinning around, and helped Goku to his feet.

   "Don't take this as if I like you or something. I'm doing this to save your ass like you did for me." ChiChi whispered to Goku. 

   "Not taken the wrong way."

   The crowd watched in shock as they carefully left the ring. Goku had never lost, and suddenly, he was giving up. What a disappointment to his fans. 

   "Well…that was…interesting…" The announcer said to a silent audience. She cleared her throat to get everyone out of their daze, "Let's hear it for a undefeated champion, the Lightning Baron!"

   Goku and ChiChi could hear the crowd screaming for Vegeta as they left. Goku sighed heavily as they walked further away from the fight scene. Defeat was an ugly thing that is for sure.

   "So, do you feel bad for giving up?" ChiChi asked.

   "Yeah, I never give up, you should know that. You were right. His last attack would have killed me. I could feel it, too." 

   "Uh, Goku, I never felt that. I was bluffing…"

   Goku looked over at ChiChi, "What?"

   A small smile tugged at ChiChi's lips, "I told him that so I could stop him. You think I've trained enough in my life to be able to do that?"

   Goku laughed softly, before wincing in pain, "Yeah, I guess that's true…"

   ChiChi nodded, and there was a pause of silence. 

   "So, tell me something," Goku said, clearing his throat, "Why were you there? We had school today."

   "I got suspended for the day."

   Goku gave ChiChi a disbelieving glance, "You? Suspended? For what, not doing your homework?"

   "Very Funny. It was for almost fighting with Alan." There was a certain look in her eyes as she said that, almost as if she were proud, "It almost made me want to pick up martial arts again." 

   "Wow…fighting. That so uncharacteristic of you now a days." 

   "Yeah…" That proud look turned into a distant look, as if she were reflecting on long forgotten memories. Goku and ChiChi walked in silence the rest of the way home.

~*~

   A few bandages circled around Goku's arms that night. As he read a magazine, he carefully turned the pages, making sure that he did not hit any of his vulnerable spots. Flipping another page, he heard a door slam in the house. ChiChi had a date that night with her boyfriend, so it must have been her. He heard a crying noise, and another door slam. Goku put down his magazine, and headed to ChiChi's room. He was not going to listen to her cry without knowing what was wrong. 

   He tapped softly on the door to her room, "ChiChi? Can I come in?" 

   "Go away!" ChiChi screamed back through her sobs.

   "Are you okay?" 

   "I said go away!" 

   Goku sighed, and opened the door, "ChiChi, you have to talk to me." 

   "I thought I told you to go away." ChiChi wiped the tears from her eyes, as she tried to give him an unwavering stare, "everything's okay." 

   Goku walked in a crouched in front of her, "No, it obviously isn't. Maybe I can help you. What's wrong?" 

   ChiChi stared at him for a second, before crying again, "He…he broke up with me." She said, almost collapsing onto Goku. Goku moved from his crouching position to sitting next to her on her bed. 

   "I'm sorry." He wrapped her arms around her, and gave her a hug.

   "But that's…that's not it. He…he tried to pressure me into sleeping with him. Said if I truly loved him I would. I wouldn't though, it goes against everything I believe in." A few more sobs escaped her throat before she continued, "then he said he never loved me, and that I'm ugly. I'm not ugly, am I?" She looked up at Goku, her eyes red from crying. 

   "No, you're not ugly. He doesn't deserve you." Goku unwrapped his arms, and let them hand loosely by his sides.

   ChiChi grabbed his arms, "You're so warm." She wrapped his arms around her, "Do you think there's someone out there, waiting for me?"

   Goku paused before answering, trying to find the perfect words, "Yes, of course there's someone out there for you. Everyone has a soul mate." He was silent after that. He was wondering how he could barely talk to her days before, and now he was sitting on her bed comforting her. Life was so strange sometimes. 

   "Goku?" ChiChi said after a while.

   "Yeah?"

   "What are you thinking about?"

   "Nothing…I should really go now…" He made a move to get up, only to be stopped by ChiChi. 

   "Don't go. Stay until I fall asleep. I like having you here. It's comforting." 

   "Okay." Goku tightened his grip around ChiChi as she laid her head on his chest. Not long after, Goku could hear ChiChi's soft breathing. He looked down at her, and moved a strand of hair that fell over her face. She looked to peaceful when she slept Goku yawned, and rested his head on ChiChi's. Soon, he too fell asleep. 

   "Hey ChiChi have you seen—" Bardock stopped when he entered ChiChi's room. Smiling at the scene, he quietly backed out and closed the door. Goku and ChiChi had always looked cute together. Really, you would think that he would worry about Goku taking advantage of ChiChi, but Bardock had enough confidence in himself that Goku would never do that. Besides, it would be weird for them anyway.

   ChiChi opened her eyes. Looking up, she saw Goku sleeping with a serene look on his face. As she looked at him longer, something Bulma had said to her a few days earlier entered her mind.

_"He's practically a man now! He's strong, good-looking, and incredibly sweet. He'd never hurt a fly, nevertheless another innocent human being. He's the perfect guy! I'm surprised that someone hasn't already snatched him up."_

   _Oh my god, ChiChi thought, __the damn woman was right. When the hell did he get so good looking? _

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Like? No like? Review, and everyone will get…champagne! YAY!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Okay, I guess I offer you guys a reason why I haven't updated in like, a month. Well, school came up, and I've been swamped with work, not to mention soccer and student council and band…it's so busy. I even went through a mental breakdown during the first week of school. I tried my best to complete this quickly, but I just couldn't think up everything all at once. Sometimes it would come to the point that I would write two sentences, sit for 30 minutes, and then give up. So, I hope you like this. 

Thanks to the few who continuously review. It means a lot to me, since this is the first fic I've written like this. 

Enjoy!

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   __

_   Will you be my best friend if I offer you my heart? 'Cause it's already yours. We could hang out every night and watch the sun go down, as long as we could watch it rise again._

   Chapter 7

   Sooner than expected, the morning sun poked through the thin curtains into ChiChi's rather large room. Not welcomed by the sleepers, ChiChi unconsciously leaned further onto Goku's, causing Goku's arms to tighten around ChiChi's small body. A cool air blew through the opened window, making both Goku and ChiChi involuntarily shudder. 

   Bardock quietly opened the door to the room and poked his head in. He smirked, only somewhat surprised to find Goku still sleeping in ChiChi's room—with ChiChi secure in his arms. It was cute—no, _adorable_, really. Childhood friends, high school enemies, adult lovers…it was quite the teenage romance movie. Actually, the whole scene itself was very movie-esque. No one would ever suspect two people—especially teenagers—to sleep in the same bed and not do anything. Most people would suspect that the hormones would get the best of them, and inevitably, they would sleep together. 

   Goku's a different sort of guy though. He respects people for who they are, and would never dare disrespect a person, especially in their most vulnerable stages. It would be an unhonorable thing to do, and any true martial artist would understand what honor meant.  

   Bardock's smirk grew wider as he crept across the room, his shadow bouncing onto the walls. Oh, he was going to get Goku so badly with this little stunt. "Hey, lovebirds," he said quietly. Neither body stirred. Bardock cupped his hands around his mouth, and he drew in a deep breath, "Hey, Kakarott! What they hell are you doing!?" Bardock backed up, and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Goku and ChiChi's eyes shot opened. As her eyes scanned over to Bardock, she jumped out of Goku's arms to the other side of the bed. Goku quickly jumped to his feet, a surprised look on his face. 

   "Oh! Hi Dad! This really isn't what it looks like…" Goku stammered over his words, trying not the sound like a complete fool. 

   "Kakarott! What the hell are you doing? Taking advantage of ChiChi while she's vulnerable. Do you have no honor and respect?" Bardock yelled at Goku. He glanced over at ChiChi, who had a slight shade of red creeping into her pale cheeks. 

   "Bardock he didn't—" ChiChi tried to explain, only to have Bardock interfere.

   "Don't worry ChiChi, I'll take care of his punk ass for you. He was wrong. The next time Goku decides to come in here, kick his ass." Before anyone could say anything else, Bardock grabbed the now mortified Goku and dragged him out of the room. 

   As soon as they were out of earshot, Bardock burst out laughing. That was the funniest thing he had done in months. The look on Goku's face was absolutely priceless. He looked terrified, as if something horrible had just happened. 

   "Dad! What was that about?" Goku yelled at Bardock, his hands flying in the air.

   "You…looked…mortified…" Bardock said through his laughs. 

   "That…that was a…a JOKE?" 

   Bardock gave a weak nod, "I know you two didn't do anything. You have more respect for ChiChi than that." 

   "A JOKE!?" Goku screamed, "Don't you ever embarrass me like that again!" 

   This made Bardock laugh even harder, "Okay, okay. I won't do that again." 

   Goku rolled his eyes, and moved to leave. 

   "Kakarott?"

   Goku turned around and sighed heavily, "What is it? I have to get ready for school."

   "We're going to have a talk this afternoon."

   "Oh no we're not. I know what it's going to be about. I'm not having _that talk with _you_." _

   Bardock shrugged, "Fine. Don't blame me when you're so naïve that you can't tell one thing from another." 

   "_FATHER!" _

   Bardock smiled, "Okay, off to school you go." 

   Goku grunted, and made his way out of the house. He prayed that no one at school would find out about this. That would be the worst thing to happen to him all week, and it would give both him and ChiChi bad reputations. He definitely did not want that.

~*~  

   Goku trekked through a path he enjoyed taking to school. It wound through the forest, taking him on a little tour of nature. The sun's rays cautiously moved through the leaves, as if waking up the animals were a crime. Little beetles scuttled around Goku's feet, taking cover under the dead leaves and pinecones scattered around. As he walked deeper into the forest, a sweet melody played off a bird's beak. This only made Goku smile. Nature was such a gorgeous creation. Every creature in it was so precious. He could not help but love the outdoors. 

   He took a sharp left, taking a path that led upward and away from the city. Such a beautiful day should never be wasted inside a classroom. Everything he needed to know he could simply find outside, where he felt at peace. When Goku was outside, nothing could spoil his mood. 

   As Goku came through a clearing, he took in a deep breath. The fresh air filled his lungs with pure oxygen. As he exhaled, he sat down, crossed his legs, and went into a meditation.

   "Skipping again, I see." ChiChi came walking through the brush. She stopped in her steps as she looked over the cliff, out into the bright blue sky. A lush, green valley lay below them. The view was absolutely breathtaking. A calm silence surrounded the area. The cliff itself was yellow and rocky, but it somehow added to the beauty. The only word to describe it was…_pure_. Really, there was no other way to describe the setting. 

   ChiChi walked over next to Goku and sat down. She leaned backwards, taking in her surroundings. So this is where Goku hung out while he was not at school…

   "It's nice out. Too nice to rot away at school." Goku opened his eyes and outstretched his legs. That meditation lasted about…three seconds. Hey, it was a second better than the last time!

   "I see," ChiChi said. She sighed, and let her head droop to the side.

   "Is something wrong?" Goku looked at ChiChi.

   "No, not really. It's just that, I think I get what you're saying. Why waste time in that place? I mean, we'll never use the majority of the stuff the school teaches anyway." 

   "Exactly."

   There was a pause of silence. ChiChi and Goku did nothing but sit side by side, contemplating what to say next. Goku coughed once, and ChiChi sneezed. 

   "Thanks for staying with me last night." ChiChi said suddenly, but coolly as if it were nothing. She really did appreciate it, even if she never told Goku.

   "Oh, um…it was nothing, really. Are you okay now?"

   ChiChi nodded, "Yeah. I don't know why I was ever crying over him. I realized that I never needed him. I never loved him like I thought I did."

   "And what makes you say that?"

   ChiChi gave Goku a small smile, "My heart…I think it's starting to belong to someone else."

   "Oh I see. So who is it this time?"

   "I'll never tell."

   Goku rolled his eyes, "Fine."

   "Goku?"

   "Yeah?" 

   "I don't have a date to prom anymore, and it's coming up next week. Do you plan on going?" 

   Goku eyes ChiChi suspiciously, "No, I wasn't planning on it."

   ChiChi laughed softly, "Well, clear your schedule, because I want you to take me." 

   "That sounds like a command."

   "Well? How about it?"

   Goku shrugged, "Sure, why not. I guess I owe you for letting Dad and me stay at your place." 

   "Thank you!" ChiChi gave Goku a quick, friendly hug, "You're the best." 

   Goku rolled his eyes again. Girls…and prom. The most important event to them. What in the hell did he get himself into? After ChiChi hugged him, Goku stood up, and stretched a little. He then started to punch and kick at the air randomly. ChiChi watched him, and made a decision for herself. 

   "Will you give me a lesson in martial arts today?" ChiChi asked, standing up, "I want to fight again."

   Goku stopped mid kick, leaving his leg hanging in the air, "What makes you want to fight again?"

   ChiChi shrugged, "I don't know, really. When I almost fought Alan yesterday, I felt so alive. There was a feeling I can't even describe inside of me. The adrenaline rush was so incredible. Then I saw the fight between you and Vegeta. You two have seemed to almost perfect your styles. It looked like a simple dance. I want to be part of something like that. It's so…incredible."

   "Wow…talk about passion." Goku muttered, and threw a punch into the air.

   "Don't be sarcastic with me! I'm trying to be serious here!" ChiChi screamed, her eyebrows raised. She waited impatiently for Goku's answer.

   "First you want me to go to prom with you. Now you want me to train you. Is this some sort of joke, or some 'Let's ask Goku for all sorts of favors' day." 

   "No joke, I promise!"

   Goku laughed, "You sound like a child. Okay, let's go."

   "Yes!" ChiChi exclaimed. She was so excited. She jumped to her feet, the excitement rising within her. 

   And you know, she really did feel like a rebel without a cause…

   "Okay, first, I want to see your stance." Goku stood up tall, his feet together. He waited as she nodded, and went into her stance. She stood with his legs shoulder width apart, but bent at the knees. Her right hand was stretched, leading up to her elbow, which was bent at 45 degrees. The left arm was almost aligned with the right, blocking the rest of her face.

   Goku walked around her, his arms clasped together behind his back. He scanned her form many times, trying to find a weakness. It was a fairly good stance, but it was obvious that she had not fought in a long time. He smiled, and stopped behind her. 

   "You're leaving the back of your body open," He said, "Try this." He took her left elbow and moved it back to that her hand was almost aligned with her shoulder. 

   "It's uncomfortable. I'm straining my shoulder."

   "Flexibility problems." Goku shook his head, "Work on the flexibility, and you'll be better." 

   ChiChi squinted at him. Flexibility problems? Since when? She had _never had any flexibility problems…_

   "Okay, now we're going to test your speed and reaction time." Goku said, backing up several feet. "You can get out of the stance now." He waited for ChiChi to stand straight before continuing, "I'm going to throw rocks at you, and you have to block them, or they'll hit you. Okay?"

   ChiChi gulped, and nodded in return. Goku smirked and picked up a rock. Bringing his arms back, he threw it forward. The rock traveled fairly slowly through the air, and ChiChi blocked it easily. Goku picked up another rock, and threw his arm forward again. The rock traveled fairly fast through the air, but ChiChi could still block it. Smirking even more, he picked up another rock, and launched it towards ChiChi. The rock whirled through the air, barely visible to the eye. ChiChi quickly moved to the left, the rock barely grazing her ear. 

   ChiChi stared at Goku, "Not fair! No one can see something like that!"

   Goku shrugged, "Your speed and reaction is pretty good, but you could get faster. Actually, you would be pretty strong is you trained all through high school." He shrugged again, "Oh well."

   "Is that all you're going to do? You're going to tell me everything I do wrong?" 

   "Yeah, basically. You can't get stronger unless you know your weaknesses. Sure, it may piss you off, but that's life."

   ChiChi shook her head, "Then never mind. I'm leaving, this is stupid anyway." She turned, and started to walk away. Soon after, she stopped, "By the way, we're going to Bulma's house later."

   "Okay, I have no problem with that." 

   "Fine" ChiChi turned again, and left. 

   And Goku never gave another thought to why she ever showed up in the first place…

~*~

   Goku and ChiChi walked into Capsule Corp. with their parents trailing behind. It was the last night that Bulma would be home before heading back to college, so she decided to through herself a goodbye party. It's funny what egotistical people do for themselves…not that _Bulma_ is egotistical, or anything…

   She gave everyone warm hugs, and ushered them into the dining room. A long table set with six chairs was set up in the middle of the room. They were a deep oak color, as were the serving tables and the china cabinet. Expensive paintings hung on the wall by various artists, and a glittering chandelier dangled from the ceiling. 

   As everyone sat down, Vegeta walked in. His face looked smug as he gave Goku a glance. Goku returned a sarcastic smile in return. 

   "Hi Vegeta." Bulma said, as she motioned him to sit down next to her, "You look particularly happy today."

   Goku let a small laugh escape his throat, "Yeah, that's because—" He paused as he received a death glare from Vegeta, "because he fought me in a street fight, and he won." Now it was Goku who had a smug look on his face. He crossed his arms as he watched Vegeta's mouth drop open in disbelief. In a second, the disbelief turned into anger.

   "Kakarott, you imbecile! You idiot! I told you not to say anything! Don't you know when to keep that mouth of yours closed? I swear, when I get my hands on you…"

   Bulma looked over at Vegeta, "Vegeta, what is this about? I thought you said that you stopped street fighting." 

   "He needed money for some reason. He wouldn't tell me why though." Goku answered for Vegeta. 

   "But…you could have come to me if you needed some. I would have given it to you, no questions asked." Bulma continued to speak to Vegeta as if he had been answering them all along. 

   "Damn it, now I have to show you in front of everyone…" Vegeta answered as he dug into his pants pocket. In his palm he held a pretty velvet box. 

   "Vegeta, what is this?" 

   "Why I needed the money…" Vegeta pushed himself out of his seat, and kneeled in front of Bulma.

   "Oh my god…is he doing what I think he's doing?" ChiChi whispered to Goku. Goku nodded in return.

   Vegeta opened the box. Inside, a beautiful diamond sparkled in the middle of a gold band. Bulma gasped as she admired its beauty. 

   Vegeta gulped before he spoke, "Bulma…you know I'm not very good at showing how much I love you—by the way, you know that, right?"

   Bulma silently nodded, still in shock. Her heart raced, beating furiously against her chest. He couldn't be…

   "Bulma Briefs, will you marry me?"

   Bulma formed the words 'Oh my god' with her mouth. The room was silent as they awaited her answer. 

   She nodded silently as she kicked her chair from underneath her, sinking to Vegeta's level. She gave him a quick kiss before hugging him tightly, "Yes, I do" She said breathlessly. The room broke out into applause as Vegeta slipped the diamond ring onto her finger. 

   "Oh my god you guys, I'm getting married!" Bulma screamed out. She threw her arms around Vegeta's neck before kissing him again. It was the happiest day of her life! 

   ChiChi had a small smile on her face as she watched the happy couple. She had ever seen a bigger smile on Bulma's face, and it was the first time she had seen Vegeta smile, period. She only wished that she could tell the one person she loved how she really felt…

   But there was still another week until prom, so it would have to wait…

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   Okay, so I hope you liked the ending. It's was warm and fuzzy like the beginning. I plan to write the prom scene in the next episode, which I have been waiting to do in like, forever, so I have high hopes for it. Reviews are appreciated as always, and please, go read my fic "Killer Queen", because it's BETTER than this!!! ^_^ 


	8. Chapter 8

Don't own anything, expect for original characters that don't play big roles anyway. 

Hi, sorry for the delay in  the chapter. Seriously, I had such a bad writer's block. Luckily, this chapter has brought a slew of new ideas to me. This chapter is kinda short, as to avoid sticking all the ideas into this chapter, and then having no chapter 9 to write. As short as this is, it's semi-important to the plot line, so I hope you like it. I'm not putting another author's note at the end, as it will totally ruin the mood at the end (you guys will love the last line…). 

I'm also thinking that the rating should go up to PG-13 after this chapter. What do you think?

Well, you know, enjoy, and remember to review!

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_Let me start this from the day we met. You looked so beautiful I never will forget._

   The week passed fairly quickly. Not much happened besides the ever-growing rumor about Goku and ChiChi getting together. It did not matter that they never talked during school. People tended to notice the little glances and smiles they gave to each other while passing through the hallway, or those "accidental" (and most of them were) bumps when there were too many students in the school. Goku and ChiChi thoroughly denied that anything was happening between them to anyone who asked. 

   Oh, and when everyone found out about ChiChi's prom date, they went crazy. No one cared that Goku and ChiChi were going as friends. It was the fact that it was _Goku and __ChiChi—the school reject going with the most popular girl. It was almost like a chick flick coming to life…_

   Which brings us to Saturday, May 25th. Now, what is so significant about this day? Well, my dearest reader, prom day has finally arrived. Salons were packed with Girls getting their last minute hair cuts, while the guys were waiting around for the night to already begin because well, we all know what guys want on prom night. 

   The morning and afternoon went by in an instant. Night soon fell, and it was time to go…

   Goku paced back and forth at the bottom of the staircase. He had been waiting for ChiChi to get ready for fifteen minutes at least. They even had to call in Bulma from college to help ChiChi. He shifted the tie that hung loosely around his neck in annoyance. How much longer would it take? He was already getting uncomfortable in the black tuxedo that he was wearing.  

   As if she had been reading his mind, Bulma stepped out and looked down at Goku. Clearing her throat, she stretched her arm out, "Presenting your newly improved prom date." She stepped to the side, allowing ChiChi to step out from behind the wall. She wore a strapless dress that was a gorgeous shade of lavender. Matching gloves ran up her arms to her elbows. Silver hoop earrings dangled from her ears and a diamond necklace decorated her neck. Her hair was put up in a crab with random strands of loose hair hanging perfectly around her face. Makeup wise, ChiChi wore very little. A light shade of pink was enough to color her lips, and her cheeks were a light shade of rose. Nothing decorated her eyes except for the sparkle in her eyes, and why would you use makeup and cover that?

   Goku's mouth literally dropped as ChiChi came walking down the stairs. He closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. She could not be real. He had to be dreaming, but there she was right before his very eyes! 

   "Are you ready to go?" She asked, walking besides him. He stayed silent, and stared at her. "Is something wrong?" She said, searching for an answer.

   "No, not at all…" He trailed off, unable to complete his sentence. He was still in shock. Absolute shock…

   "Then, what is it?" 

   "You look…" 

   "What?"

   "Stunning. Absolutely gorgeous." 

   ChiChi smiled, "Thank you. You don't clean up too bad yourself." 

   "Should we go now?" Goku asked, holding out his arm. ChiChi nodded, and hooked her arm with his. As they exited, ChiChi turned around, and silently thanked Bulma. Bulma winked at ChiChi, and gave her a thumbs up before they disappeared through the door. 

   Fast paced music blasted throughout the gymnasium as Goku and ChiChi entered. The room was fully transformed. Tables were set up around the dance floor in the center, and a DJ was set up against the far wall. Disco balls hung from the rafters, causing brilliant colors to sweep across the floor.

   Goku and ChiChi stopped at a booth the get their picture taken. The photographer brought them in front of a blue backdrop, and positioned Goku behind ChiChi with both of them at an angle. Goku wrapped his arms around ChiChi's waist, who covered his hands with her own. The photographer took their picture, and they made their way over to a table. 

   The combinations of hip hop and dance songs echoed through the gymnasium. Not long after they sat down, ChiChi stood up, and motioned for Goku to follow. Goku gave her a crooked smile, and shook his head no. Dancing was definitely not his thing. He'd rather sit there all night than have everyone see him dance. ChiChi gave Goku a pleading look, and forcefully made a hand gesture for him to follow. Again, he gave a smile, but this time more amusing, as if he was having fun making her work hard for a simple dance. ChiChi walked up to Goku, and grabbed his hand. "Come on," She said, "Let's go dance!"

   "Aw Chi, come on. I can't dance."

   She tugged at his arm, "Please? Half the people here are wasted anyway. No one will remember. It's a fast song anyway, and we all look like idiots." As she said this, the current song faded away, and melted into a sweet ballad. Couples took the dance floor, holding close to each other, savoring the rest between the fast paced dance songs. 

   "Come on Goku! You do know how to slow dance, don't you?" 

   Goku felt himself being pulled onto the dance floor before he could respond, "No…not really."

   ChiChi smiled at Goku, "It's easy, really!" She grabbed his hands, and wrapped them around her waist. After, she took her arms and draped them around his shoulders. "See? Not so bad. Just sway to the music." She smiled at him. Goku smiled nervously back, and followed her lead. That was one of the things he should have done in the previous week…he should have learned to dance. 

   Half way through the song, ChiChi gave Goku a serious look, "I think I just realized something." She said quietly, "I have a confession to make."

   "Yeah? What is it?" 

   "I know why I stopped talking to you." She looked down at the ground.

   "ChiChi…you don't have to give me a reason."

   She looked up at him quickly, "But I do! I…" She paused for a moment. Those eyes…those beautiful, childlike eyes made her feel even guiltier, "I was afraid Goku. I was so afraid."

   "Afraid of what?"

   "Myself…my own feelings…"

   Goku stopped dancing, yet he kept his arms around her, "Yourself?"

   "Goku, I…" She sighed, before resting her arm against her sides, "I just need something to drink…wait for me?" 

   "Yes, of course." 

   "Thanks." ChiChi quickly turned around, and headed to the refreshments. She couldn't tell him yet. Something inside was holding her back.

   _But she knew what his response would be. She could read it in his eyes. Then why? Why was she so afraid? _

   A long table with white tablecloth held the drinks and food. Students cluttered the area, all talking, laughing and having a great time. ChiChi hurriedly made her way to the fruit punch bowl. Before she had a chance to pour her own glass, someone interrupted her. 

   "Hey ChiChi."

   "Oh, hi Aaron." ChiChi looked at the brown-eyed boy in font of her. 

   "Having a good time?"

   "Yes, yourself?"

   "It's good. Here, let me get you a drink." He picked up a glass already filled and handed it to her.

   "Thank you," She said. She took a sip before coughing a little. It must have been all the people in the room that was making her cough. The dust getting kicked up was not good for her breathing. She just needed some fresh air that was all. Waving good-bye to Aaron, she left the awkward situation and headed outside. 

   ChiChi stumbled a little as she left the doorway. The cool air blasted her face, giving her a refreshing feeling. The sky that night was cloudy, and not clear as a prom night should be. The moon was at half crescent, a shady haze behind the clouds. You could not see any stars, for the city lights blocked them out. ChiChi coughed some more as she leaned against the outer brick wall for support. She vision blurred a little as she swayed front to back dangerously. She threw more weight against the wall to keep her balance. 

   "Feeling okay, ChiChi?"

   ChiChi looked up. Her vision was too blurry to see who it was, "Goku? Goku…is that you? Please say it's you."

   The voice scoffed, "Stupid girl. How dare you mix me up with _him_." ChiChi heard footsteps as the person came closer. He brought her away from the brick wall, "Dance with me ChiChi." The voice wrapped his hand around ChiChi's waist and grasped her hand. He led in their dance, acting as if it were a formal waltz. They danced like this for a minute or two, until ChiChi started to cough again. She walked back over to the brick wall for more support. The voice was giving her bad energy. 

   "What's wrong with you?" The voice said in an annoyed voice. 

   "I can't see…who are you?"

   "Look at me, damn it! Who do you think I am?" He roughly grabbed her and made her look at him in the eyes.

   "Aaron…it's you…why are you here?" 

   "Come back to me ChiChi. God, please come back to me. I'm sorry about last week. I didn't mean to say anything that would upset you."

   "No, you can't have me. We broke up, and it's through.  You'll never get me back." 

   "And why not!?"

   "Because…I love someone else…"

   Aaron glared at ChiChi, "But…but I love you…don't you see? I wouldn't be begging for you to be my girlfriend again if I didn't." He pulled her close to him, and kissed her roughly. ChiChi pushed him away, her forced causing her to hit the wall, "No! I told you, we're done!" She passed through another coughing fit, "What the hell is wrong with me?"

   Aaron walked up to her, leaning one arm against the rough brick. Without saying a word, he tightly held her against the brick, leaned in and whispered, "But don't you see I love you? I want you…" He lightly kissed her cheek. ChiChi struggled against his grip, but somehow she had weakened between the time she had her drink and the present moment. "Get off me," She muttered. Aaron didn't listen to her though. "Get off me you sick bastard," She screamed at him. 

   "Shut up ChiChi! Come on, you know you want it to!"

   "I want nothing to do with you! Get off!" She tried to escape his grasp again, but they were like immobile prison bars. 

   "You heard her. Leave her alone." ChiChi heard another voice. She weakly smiled. The voice was unmistakable. She heard a body go crashing to the ground, "Goku…" she whispered softly. She knew he'd come and rescue her. Just like always…he was always there for her, no matter what…

   _No matter what…_

   "She said to leave her alone." Goku said roughly to Aaron. Aaron stood up and smiled. He reached into his sports jacket, before pulling out a handgun, "And why should I listen to _you?_" He asked, a malicious look planted on his face. Goku put his hands up and took a step back, "Aaron, don't do anything stupid…"

   Aaron laughed, "All I wanted…all I wanted was ChiChi! You know, I was serious when I said I loved her, but she rejected me. Now I see who I have to get through to get to her…this will be fun…" He pointed the gun at Goku and pulled the safety on the gun, a distinct _click _cracking through the air. 

   The heavy sound of a body crashing prevented him from pulling that trigger on Goku…

   Goku turned around. ChiChi lay on the ground, motionless. Without thinking, Goku ran over to her. He fell onto his knees, and lifted her body into his lap, "ChiChi? Wake up ChiChi. Come on, wake up." He hit her face softly a few times to see if he could get her nerves to feel anything. Her warm skin was quickly turning cold. "Damn it ChiChi, wake up!" He screamed. He look up at Aaron, "What did you do to her?" 

   Aaron looked at Goku in disbelief, "A guy…on the sidewalk corner…he said it wouldn't so any real damage…" He dropped the gun he was holding, "I'm sorry…"

   "You drugged her? You bastard! You don't love ChiChi. You just wanted her. You damn bastard…" He stood up with ChiChi in his arms, "I'm getting her to the hospital right now. She'll be lucky if she isn't dead soon. Thanks man, thanks a lot." Without waiting for a reply, Goku pushed off into the sky, a streak of blue trailing behind him. 

   _You'll be okay ChiChi. I promise, nothing will happen. You'll be okay. The doctors will fix you right up…_

_   Won't they?_

_   Yes, of course they will. You'll be fine. Some medicine will fix you right up…_

_   Damn it, who am I kidding? Chances are slim…damn it…_

_   I still love you ChiChi…don't die on me. Please, don't leave me here alone…_

_   I still love you…_


	9. Chapter 9

Don't own anything

Hi! This was a semi-fast update, now wasn't it? Personally, I think this chapter is so-so. Too much dialogue in my opinion, but sometimes chapters like that happen. *****shrugs*** **I hope you enjoy it! 

Oh, and there's a bunch of medical stuff I made up in here, so don't yell at me if you're an MD (which I doubt anyone reading this is over 20) and something I put is false. Okay, I'm not going to put an author's note at the end of the chapters anymore, because I think they ruin the mood. ^_^

Enjoy!  

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_I'm just waiting for the world to come crashing down again. I'm waiting for someone to call me up and tell me you're dead._

   "Hurry, we need to get her into a room."

   "Get an IV into her arm. Is she conscious? We need to figure out what happened here…"

   "Do we have a room though? Before we do anything, we need a room."

   "Hurry then! Her condition is critical! We could lose her at any moment, especially since we don't know what happened!" 

   Doctors scrambled through the empty hallways as they searched for a hospital room. With them rolled ChiChi in a stretcher. Her skin was a ghostly white. The soft pink had left her lips, and the rosy cheeks had disappeared, absorbed by the cold that had engulfed her. If the doctors did not do something soon, she would be gone. 

   And he would have never known. 

   He would have never known how much she loves him…

   Goku slammed his fist onto the counter, "What do you mean I can't go back there with her?" His eyes were filled with anger as the nurse told him that he was not allowed to go back and stay with ChiChi. Every fiber of his body struggled not to attack the nurse right there, just for telling him the rules. He wanted to go back to ChiChi…he needed to. This was the one time ChiChi would truly need Goku, and he would not be there. He had promised her that he'd be there when she most needed him. _He promised…_

   "Look, I can only let you back there if you are related to her. Can you give me a relation?"

   "I'm her boyfriend." Goku said quickly. 

   The nurse shook her head, "I'm sorry, that's not good enough."

   "What if I told you she is my fiancee?" 

   "Sorry kid, I don't buy into that. You would have stated it from the beginning if it were true."

   Goku leaned on the counter, his eyes burning into the nurse's, "I never say that I'm her fiancee in public. You see, our parents' families have been in an ongoing feud for generations. So you know, our parents can't know we're engaged. They don't even know about us going out because they would never accept it. Unless you want them to find out and have all hell break loose here, it is imperative that you let me back there to see my wife-to-be."  

   "Yes, of course. Go right ahead." The nurse waved him forward. Goku smiled, and briskly walked down the hall. Poking his head through rooms, he traveled until he found the right one. Luckily, it did not take very long. Doctors surrounded one bed, frantically working. The body in the bed had an oxygen mask on, and an IV sticking out from her arm. Goku quietly walked in.

   "Can you help her?" He asked quietly, as to not startle the doctors. 

   "What are you doing here? We told the nurse at the front desk not to let anyone back."

   "I'm her…her fiancee."

   "Follow me out." The doctor turned, and led Goku outside the room. 

   The doctor turned at looked up at Goku. He had black hair and hazel eyes. He was small in stature, at least a foot shorter than Goku, "Her condition is critical. We're pumping oxygen and medicine into her. Can you tell me what happened?"

   Goku nodded, "We were at prom…"

   "But I thought you said you were engaged?"

   "We are…as soon as we graduate, we're eloping, because our parents…" He paused, noticing that the doctor wanted him to move on. Of course he was not interested in Goku's little story, "ChiChi was drugged by her ex boyfriend. He said he didn't know what it was, but he bought it off a guy on a street corner. Said it wasn't supposed to kill her."

   The doctor crossed his arms, "Uh huh, this is serious. If we don't know the drug, we can't give her an accurate antidote."

   "You can't do anything? You have to have _something_. I mean, if I lose her, my world will come crashing down around me. She's all I have left in this world…"

   Sad thing is that mostly everything that Goku saying was true…his world _would come crashing down around him if she died. His sudden love for her came from nowhere…he never felt anything like it before. Not since…_

   Not since he was fourteen. Those suppressed feelings rose wildly again, and he realized that living _without_ ChiChi was impossible…

   "I have one thing, but it's risky." 

   "Yeah, what is it?" 

   "We can do a blood transfusion. We can take all her blood out and replace it. This type of transfusion is risky though. Taking out all of someone's blood can result in death if not done correctly."

   "Is it the only option?" 

   "I'm afraid so."

   Goku wiped his forehead. This decision was too big for him to make about someone else's life. If she died from the transfusion it would be his fault, and if she died from the drug, it would have been his fault because he wasn't there. It was a lose-lose situation. 

   They had to try to the blood transfusion. It was their best bet.

   Goku nodded his head, "Yeah, let's do that transfusion."

   "We have already checked her blood type. Problem is that it's type O. That's very rare, as you probably know, so we don't have a lot of it…"

   "Take my blood. I have the same type. Take as much as you need."

   "Are you sure?"

   "Positive."

   "Okay, follow me."   

~*~

   The absence of Goku and ChiChi went unnoticed at the prom. As the music faded into nothing, a girl jumped onto a small platform at the back of the room. She asked for everyone to be silent. Eagerly, the students waited for her to speak. It was time to announce prom king and queen!

   "Hey everyone! Having a great time?" The girl said into the microphone in front of her. She was met with a wave of cheers before there was silence again, "That's great! As president of your Student Council, I present you prom queen and king! For our queen, you have chosen…drum roll please!" A synthesized drum roll boomed through the speakers. As it stopped, the president opened a white envelope in her hands, "ChiChi!" The crowd clapped vigorously as they waited for her to present herself in front of the senior class. This obviously, could not happen though. 

   "ChiChi? Are you here?"

   Everyone turned as Aaron came bursting through the doors into the gym. He breathed heavily as he spoke, "ChiChi…she's at the hospital!" Everyone gasped before he continued, "Goku drugged her! I tried to stop him, but that guy is a monster! Tried to kill me right on the spot." 

   Murmurs traveled through the group as the news sunk in. Sure, no one ever really _liked Goku, but they all knew he was not that cruel. He had enough pride and respect for himself and others to not try to drug a girl. Maybe they were wrong though. Maybe he really was a monster, and freakishly strange. Maybe he was ruthless and murderous…_

   And that poor president of the senior class stood dumbfounded on the podium. What the hell was she going to do?

~*~

   Needles. Goku hated needles. His hate for needles could not even rival his hate for school, which was pretty big? Why did he hate needles? Well, my friend, it is not really that he hates them. Goku…well, Goku has only one fear in the world, and it's not dying…

   Have not guessed it yet? It is needles. Yes, those pointy, sharp pieces of metal that those doctors like to stick into you for medicine. They scare Goku more that death itself could ever scare him. And you thought we was fearless…

   So as he lay on the hard, white hospital bed, only one thought was going through his head….

   _I hate needles…I hate needles…I hate needles…I hate needles…_

   "Goku, are you ready?" The doctor walked into his room. Goku gave a weak nod. He breathed in deeply, and exhaled loudly. He was ready. No matter how much he loathed needles, he had to endure it for ChiChi's sake. 

   The last thing Goku remembered was the light bouncing of the tiny piece of metal. He fainted from the needle puncturing his skin.

   About thirty minutes later, Goku rose from his sleep. Rubbing his eyes, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He found it very odd that he became short of breath from just doing that. As he caught his breath, his thoughts wandered off to ChiChi. He hoped that she was okay. The blood transfusion was risky when almost all the blood was being replaced. It had to go perfectly, or the patient would die from blood loss. He desperately wanted to go see her, but he knew he could not at the moment, since walking would make him feel short of breath. The doctor coming in interrupted his thoughts. 

   "How are you feeling?" The doctor asked Goku as he looked through a stack of papers in his hand.

   "Short of breathe, but that's about it."

   "That's expected. We took about half your blood. Remarkably, you're reproducing blood cells at the fastest rate we've ever seen, and within the hour you'll be up and walking."

   "That's great and all," Goku said, "But how's ChiChi? Will she be all right? Can I see her?"

   The doctor smiled at Goku, "Everything went perfectly. She's sleeping right now, but as soon as you're ready, I'll bring you in to see her."

   Goku let out a sigh of relief. So she was okay after all. He should have known that the doctors would fix her up. Modern technology always pulled through. Maybe he would get some Senzu beans later to help speed up ChiChi's recovery. 

   Ten minutes later, Goku's blood count was high enough for him to walk down the hall to ChiChi's room. He entered quietly so he would not wake her up. She slept soundlessly in her bed. She was hooked up to a machine that took her pulse, and an IV was still connected to her arm. Goku sat down in her bed, and waited. Her face looked peaceful while she slept, he concluded. It almost made him afraid to have someone wake her. Before he could protest, the doctor that had taken care of him was by her bed, gently waking her up.

   Poor ChiChi did not know what was going on. The last thing she remembered was seeing Goku outside the gymnasium. After that, everything went black. She looked around the hospital room, wondering why she was there. Her eyes rested on the doctor by her bed.

   "Who are you?" She asked quietly, "What happened?" 

   "ChiChi, I'm Doctor Brown. You were drugged. We had to give you a blood transfusion. Luckily, your fiancee here was generous enough to donate blood."

   "Fiancee?" She looked to the other side of the bed at Goku, who was smiling sheepishly. Boy, would he have a lot of explaining to do. "Doctor Brown? Can my _fiancee and I have a little time alone? I need to ask him a few questions."_

   Dr. Brown nodded, "Sure, why not? Call if you need anything." With that, he left the room, closing the door behind him.

   "Fiancee?" ChiChi raised an eyebrow.

   "It was the only way they would let me back here."

   "Why did you stay? You didn't have to. They would have found someone to donate blood. I know how you hate needles."

   Goku looked at ChiChi in the eyes, "But I _had_ to. I made a promise, and I don't break promises."

   "And what was this promise?"

   "I promised that I would always be there to those important to me. I made a special promise to a special person that I would always be there for her, no matter what. I hope she hasn't forgotten this promise."

   "No, she hasn't."

   "Good." Goku smiled at ChiChi, and grabbed her hand. ChiChi smiled back, glad that he was there. He would always be there for her, and it was a fact. Nothing could keep them apart anymore. They loved each other immensely, but neither would confess their own feelings. The fear of rejection held them back.

   But they knew in their hearts that it was there…

   It was something real to hold on to…something bigger than they had ever felt before…

   Things change, and people change. Those who are meant to be together stay together.__

_   Something happens to their hearts that they can' quite explain…they can't explain it at all… _


	10. Chapter 10

I don't own anything.

Hey everyone. Thanks for the constant reviews. They mean a lot to me. I'm glad you guys like this little romance of mine, and it may persuade me to do more in the future. ^_^ Enjoy this chapter, I know you'll like it. 

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_It's up to you to decide what is wrong and what is right. And know that we all make mistakes. There's always time to change your life around and change all the wrong decisions you've made._

   About a week had passed since the incident. ChiChi was ordered by the doctors to take a week off from school to recover her strength. Goku decided to stay with her to help in any way possible. During their week together, they had grown closer than ever. It was scary, in a way. They had grown to the point where they could finish sentences for each other. Bardock had even commented that they acted like a steady couple, maybe even about to get married. Goku and ChiChi thoroughly denied it, of course. They would never admit to anyone that there was any chemistry between them, even though it was so blatantly obvious to the world. The only words of affection uttered to each other were only in their heads, unheard by anyone but themselves. Their eyes and body language spoke differently from their spoken word, though. You could tell that there was something special by looking at the way they acted around each other. Their eyes changed to more peaceful looks when they were around each other, and small smiles were unwavering on their faces.   

   And so a week later, they found themselves side by side, in front of Orange Star High school. They both felt nervous, like it was the first day of school. ChiChi took in a deep breath, hoping that her week's absence would go unquestioned. 

   "Why are you so nervous?" Goku asked, staring through the glass door into their prison for the next seven hours. 

   "I don't know. I don't want people questioning me, that's all." She sighed again, her heart beating against her chest.

   Goku laced his fingers with hers, "we'll go together. You don't have to answer anyone you don't want to. Let's just survive the day."

   ChiChi slowly nodded as Goku pulled open the door. She grasped his hand tighter as they entered. She felt like a small child going to his or her first day of school. Goku being there made her feel better. If it was a month earlier, she would have had nothing to do with him, but now, she did not care. She enjoyed being with him now.

   _And to think, it started with that damn science project…_

   As they walked down the hall, no one paid attention to them. This relieved ChiChi. She did not want any attention from anyone. They stopped in front of Goku's locker so he could grab a few books. Surprisingly, there was a note in red permanent marker written on the blue metal.

**   Son Goku, you bastard. Stay away from ChiChi. How dare you try to hurt her. You won't get away with it…god damn it, you won't get away…**

   Goku's look of disbelief soon went to a look of perplexity. He looked at ChiChi, who shrugged at the anonymous letter. In a few seconds, the look of perplexity turned into a look of amusement. 

   "Well, looks like someone doesn't want us together. Why does that not surprise me?"

   "Whatever. Let's just get to class." ChiChi said in a tired voice. 

   "Are you okay?" Goku looked down at her. Her eyes seemed extremely exhausted, her head hanging like a tired horse's head would. 

   "I'm tired. It's nothing, really." She rubbed her eyes with her free hand. Mentally, she was not prepared to face school.

   "Okay, well, if you need to escape this place, let me know, and I'll get you out of here." 

   ChiChi nodded, and gave Goku a small smile to assure him that she was fine. Goku smiled back, and they walked to class.  

   The class grew quiet as Goku and ChiChi walked in. The conversations stopped, and everyone stared at them. Without acknowledging the silence, ChiChi took her seat. Goku followed close behind. Everyone still stared, until there was a murmur on one side of the room. The unknown comment traveled through the room and back to the original owner of the phrase. Neither ChiChi nor Goku heard what was said, but they did not care. They both decided that they did not care what people thought of them. All that matter is what they thought about themselves. 

   "I can't believe you have the guts to show up back here, Son" Alan stared at Goku in the eyes. Goku stared back, his eyes unwavering. 

   "Why is that Alan? I haven't done anything." 

   Alan laughed, "You act like nothing happened at prom. We know what happened, Aaron told us."

   "Then, shouldn't he be the one not showing up here?"

   "Goku, you bastard. How dare you act like you didn't do anything. First you drug ChiChi, and then you try to kill Aaron. You should go to hell for that, you bastard."

   "What! There is no way in hell I'd ever do that!" Goku yelled. How dare Aaron do that to him! How dare he tell a lie as massive as tainting someone's image to be worse than it actually was.

   "Alan!" ChiChi yelled, "Why are you doing this? Leave Goku alone!" 

   "Shut up woman! He knows what he's done, and now he must pay for it. Why are you sticking up for him anyway?" He stopped for a moment before laughing, "Oh, I know why. You must be sleeping with him, just like you had with every other guy in our class."

   Goku stood up, knocking the chair out from under him. He slammed his palms onto the hard wooden desk, his eyes lit up in anger. Alan had no right to talk like that about ChiChi. He had no right…

   "Oh, have I hit a soft spot? Ha! You don't even deserve ChiChi. You're fate is to live a miserable life. Why would anyone want a street fighter, anyway?"

   "Take that back about ChiChi. You can say whatever the hell you want about me, but take back the comment about ChiChi."

   Alan folded his arms, "No, I hold true to my comments. I don't take back what I say."

   "You bastard!" Before he knew what he was doing, Goku pounced over the desk and at Alan. In a flash, Alan was stuck in a headlock. Goku's grip on him grew tighter by the second. Alan was gasping for air within the first ten seconds. Luckily, Mrs. Shima came walking in. She stopped for a moment, and stared at the scene. After a second, she simply walked to her desk and started to unpack her things, "Goku," she said, "Let got of Alan, and go to the office. I don't care who started it, just go." She pointed her ring finger to the door. Goku let go of Alan, who went crashing to the floor. He gasped for air as a brown ring started to show round his neck. Goku could have killed him if he wanted to…

   ChiChi got up and prepared to leave. Before exiting the room, she turned around, "I stand by Goku now," She said simply, "He saved my life…Aaron was the one who drugged me. Get the facts straight before you start a fight." Leaving the class speechless, she turned, and left.

~*~

   "But Mr. Zenigata!"

   "But nothing, Goku! I told you one more time, and you would be suspended. You have a week off, good day."

   Goku sighed as he dragged his feet. The fight was not his fault. Alan instigated the whole thing. Both Alan and Aaron must have been in a league together to get Goku and ChiChi apart. Yes, that is what happened. Goku pushed open the double doors and took to the skies. He had a specific place to go when his inner peace was at turmoil. It would make him feel better. 

   ChiChi slammed open the school doors. Running out, she scanned the parking lot. Seeing no signs of life, she quickly reached into her pocket and took out a capsule. Finding an open spot in the nearly deserted lot, she clicked the top, and threw it in front of her. With a pop, a black convertible materialized from the smoke. She hopped in, and sped off, leaving a small wave of dust behind her. 

   And so the parking lot was once empty again…

   The highway can be a wonderful and disastrous place. Speeding down the highway at eighty miles an hour with the wind wildly wiping your hair is paradise for some. For others, the highway is nothing but a place where hours are wasted trying to get to and from work. 

   ChiChi was in a state between wondrous and disastrous. She always loved speeding down the highway, but now it seemed disheartening. She followed the signs the read "Heartbreak Hill." She remembered Goku mentioning it as a relaxing place he liked to go. 

   She had a lot of time to think, also. She had time to think about the past events that led her to the highway. Her hand, Goku's house blowing up, her break up, prom…all of it led to her realization to something that she should have noticed a long time ago. No, she had noticed it, but she chose to ignore it. Her hear ached for one person her whole life, and she was too blind to act upon. Now the chance had risen again, and she would not miss it…

   _Life is filled with nothing but blue skies and broken hearts…._

_   But sometimes, those broken hearts can be mended. Somehow…somehow they pull through the dark to light again. The constant struggle between dystopia and utopia is never ending._

_   But they somehow pull through…somehow… _    

   Exit twelve, Heartbreak Hill

    Goku sighed deeply as he sat on the lush green grass. A calm breeze blew through the area, and all was silent. It was the first time he truly felt relaxed in a few weeks. He leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the breeze take his worries away. A content smile decorated his face as a soothing feeling came over him. Soon, he was dozing off completely, unaware of his surroundings any longer.

   "Hi Goku." 

   Goku's eyes snapped open as he came into a seated position, "Shouldn't you be back at the high school?" 

   ChiChi stood next to him, "Yes, but I needed to come see you."

   Goku stood up, his back facing her, "You should leave before I hurt you. Did you see what I did to Allen? I almost killed him. I don't want to lose control and have the same happen to you."

   "I wanted to clarify those rumors…they aren't true. I haven't slept with anyone, in that sense."

   "I know. You're too good for that."

   "And I'm not afraid of you."

   "You should be…I'm a monster."

   "No, I like you the way you are. I like you for you." 

   "You're too good to be true…I don't deserve you…" Goku murmured under his breath. He turned around quickly, and stared at ChiChi, "I have to leave."

   ChiChi's eyes opened up in shock, "What? Why? You can't leave! I…"

   "I need to get away from here…from this life. It's only for a little bit." 

   Tears started to form in ChiChi's eyes, "No, you can't! I won't let you. You can't leave me, not now!"

   "And why not? It's not like we're a couple or anything…"

   Tears spilled out of ChiChi's eyes and down her face, "Why are you saying this? Do you not see what we have? Are you so blind? Goku…you don't understand, do you? I need you…"

   Goku walked over to ChiChi and wrapped his arms around her, "Don't cry. I have to do this. I'm sorry."

   ChiChi cried against his chest, "But…don't you see I love you? I love you Goku, and that's all there is to it."

   Goku hugged her tighter, "Then run away with me." He whispered into her ear, "Run away with me ChiChi, and we'll go to a place where no one will care about who we are and what our pasts are."

   ChiChi pulled away from Goku and looked up at him. As always, his eyes shone with the innocence of a child. He gave her a crooked smile to try to assure her that everything would be okay in the end. This only caused ChiChi to cry more. She tried to blink away the tears, but it was no use. Her defenses had broken down. He had gotten through every wall she had ever put up to prevent herself from feeling this much emotion. It was almost enough to drive her mad.

   Goku reached down and wiped away ChiChi's tears with his thumbs. Cradling ChiChi's cheek in his hands, he bent down until he could feel her moist breath against his lips. "ChiChi…I love you, too." He whispered softly, before planting a gentle kiss on her lips. ChiChi threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him back. It was short, sweet, and romantic. Too shortly after, Goku pulled away from ChiChi. 

   "Will you come with me?" He asked in a soft tone.

   "Goku…I can't. You shouldn't either…we have to graduate high school first."

   "I was never graduating in the first place…I need to get out of here. This is my goodbye. If you truly love me, you'll wait."

   "But Goku, I—" ChiChi's thought was never fully said, for Goku Stepped back towards her and gave her another kiss. He loved her so much, but he had to leave. Goku could no longer take the restrictions that his school had bestowed upon him. He needed a place to be free…free of everything.

   "Goodbye ChiChi…I love you." Goku pulled away until he lost touch with ChiChi's soft fingers. Without looking back, he took off into the air, and disappeared. 

   As soon as he left, ChiChi broke down crying, "Goku," she whispered, "Goku, come back. You have to come back…" When she realized that her wish would not be granted, she fell to her knees. She covered her face as the tears flowed freely. She had lost him again. She had lost him for the second time, and this time, she truly believed, he would not come back.

   And that was her biggest fear of all.


	11. Chapter 11

Don't own anything! Almost all song lyrics used throughout this fic are by the Ataris. The songs can be found on End Is Forever, Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits, or So Long, Astoria.

Other lyrics used are Sum 41 The Used, and The Beatles (and that's only off the top of my head…)

Okay everyone thanks for your patience with this chapter! Unfortunately, this is the final chapter. I thought it was best to wrap up this fic while I still had ideas fresh in my mind. So, I hope you like it. Remember to Review after!

Oh, and thanks for all the reviews. They mean a lot to me.

_As I sit here all alone I wonder how I'm supposed to carry on when you're gone. I'll never be the same without you. I love you more than you'll ever know_

ChiChi was miserable without him. She felt as if she was living in a dream, away from reality. It was a never-ending nightmare that she would never wake up from. The cruel realities in the world felt like simple illusions that refused to fade away with the wind.

Her appearance had suffered as well as her personal well-being. Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders, each strand almost holding a life of its own. Her eyes were always heavy and exhausted. Restless nights thinking about him never helped much when she had to wake up early the next morning. She wore wrinkled clothes and no make up, something that used to be very rare for her.

In short, she found no meaning to life. ChiChi did not care anymore if people talked about her, she did not care if a rumor was spread around the school, and she did not care what she looked like. Life had no meaning. _None…_

Sitting in the back of the room, ChiChi nearly slept through her classes. She was devoid of any emotion. She never smiled or frowned. Her eyes never sparked in happiness or narrowed in anger. No one could see through her, into her mind. No one could understand the pain she felt inside. No one knew the pain she kept from the outside world…from this simple nightmare that would never cease.

It was kept inside for too long. The light was quickly being pushed back as nothing but darkness took over. Yes, darkness most certainly overwhelmed her. It was only time before she broke down…

The reflection stared back. The emotionless stare startled ChiChi. It bounced back at her, and she could barely recognize it. The bags that hung under her eyes and the light red lines that scaled the white of her eyes made her look almost hostile. Maybe in a way she was hostile. No one had dared to take to her since he left. Everyone stared clear of her, afraid of what might happen. Snarling at the image of herself, ChiChi pulled her fist back, and thrust it into the mirror. The glass shattered as it flew into every direction. ChiChi's hand started to bleed a little from the impact. She breathed heavily, as she threw all her strength into that one punch. She did not even know _why_ she did it. In a moment's time though, the confusion seemed to disappear as she stumbled backwards into the bathtub. Slamming the back her head against the tile wall, a few tears dropped from her eyes as all her emotions came flooding back to her.

_"Run away with me ChiChi. We'll go someplace where no one will care about our pasts. Please, come with me."_

Goku's voice echoed through her head, much like a ghost's. To her, he was nothing more than a distant memory. A distant memory that was lost forever. ChiChi decided that he was never coming back.

He was lost forever…_she had lost him forever_

ChiChi covered her face in her hands as her tears started to fall quickly. Part of her was expecting him to come and comfort her. She desperately wanted him to wrap his warm arms around her body. She just wanted…

She would never get what she wanted. It was lost forever. She was alone. All alone.

"Hey ChiChi, are you—oh my god." Bardock looked around the bathroom. Shattered pieces of glass lay on the ground, reflecting small drops of blood. He dropped the bags he was holding and rushed in.

"Bardock, go away." ChiChi said in a monotonous voice. She turned her head away from him so he could not see that she was crying.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Bardock said in a panicked voice. Since Goku left, ChiChi had become all Bardock had to consider family. He would go crazy if anything happened to her. "You're hand's bleeding. You didn't do anything stupid, did you?"

" If you mean to say am I cutting myself, then no. I'm okay. Really, I am." She tried to sound convincing, but the shaking in her voice told otherwise.

"Okay, if you say so." Bardock said in an uneasy voice. He had never seen ChiChi is such a state of distress. Her hair was unruly, and her eyes were now tinted a light red from crying. He backed out of the bathroom, figuring that she needed the time alone. He remembered he had to go visit someone, anyway.

_No one...no one here. Alone…always alone._

He sighed deeply, and fell back onto the sandy ground. Exhausted after a hard day of training, he closed his eyes. Something flashed through his mind as he opened his eyes again. He wanted to forget it…he wanted to forget it all…

He was going to make a new life on the streets, doing nothing but street fights to make money. Even though he had made that decision long ago, he could not shake off the feeling that something was missing deeply in his life.

_"Goku!"_

No, nothing could be missing. The exciting world of street fighting was all he needed.

_"Goku! Hurry up!"_

A suppressed memory reentered his mind as he closed his eyes again.

_"You don't seriously walk that slow!" She called out to him from nearly one hundred yards away. She cupped one hand around her mouth so it would act as a megaphone, "Come on Goku! The dragonball is right over this hill! You can't possibly move so fast, but walk so slow. Let's get moving!" She smiled as she wove her arm furiously in the air. The dragonball hunts were so exciting. You never knew what dangers lay around the corner, but somehow they never stopped you._

_ "Slow? You dare to call me slow?" Goku muttered to himself. A small smirk graced his face as he took off. In nearly five second, Goku had reached his target, swept the girl off her feet, and continued down the road. In ten seconds, they reached their destination._

_ "And you dared to call me slow," Goku said, a smile cutting across his face, "ChiChi, you are the slowest of them all."_

_ "Am not!" ChiChi exclaimed, her hand touching her heart, "Now put me down!" She commanded. Goku followed her orders, and they stood side by side. After a short pause, ChiChi started to talk again, "You know, I hope that one day a knight in shinning armor will sweep me off my feet. Wouldn't that be romantic?" She sighed as she went into her own fantasy world. _

_ "You never know…you might have already found him." Goku said softly, looking off into a distant sunset. _

_ "What? Did you say something?"_

_ "No…not at all," Goku said quickly. He gave her one of his goofy smiles; "You think we'll be friends forever?"_

_ "Yeah…how can we not? Our friendship is perfect in every way." ChiChi looked back at him and gave him a small smile._

_ "Good, then I can approve all your boyfriends that you'll have when we get to high school."_

_ "Will not!" ChiChi looked at him seriously, before she started to laugh, "You're such a joker! You know you're the best friend anyone could have…"_

Her words faded into nothing, and the sun entered Goku's eyes as he cracked them open. Ironically, the sun was also setting inthe real world, too. The fiery ball floated in space, it's orange hue radiating on the eastern half of the world. Goku frowned as a figure blocked his path to the sun. He sat up and grunted, obviously giving disapproval to the person there. He was more than one hundred kilometers away from the city. How could anyone so close to him find his location?

"What are you doing here," Goku pushed himself off the ground and turned his back to the person, "How did you find me, and what do you want?"

"I tracked you down. Considering your energy level is far superior to everyone else on Earth, I only had my own, Vegeta, and your energy to work from. So you know, it was pretty obvious which energy was yours." The person crossed his arms and smirked.

Goku sighed and turned around, "All right, what do you want from me?"

"Nothing. I just need to talk to you about something…someone."

"Who?"

"ChiChi"

Goku shook his head and started to walk away, "No, I don't want to talk about it."

"Goku! Don't you are walk away from me!" There was a hint of anger in the person's voice.

"And why not? There's nothing to discuss."

"She's been miserable for the last month without you! I can hear her in her room at night, crying for you to come home. She hates herself now, and thinks it's her fault for your departure. Goku…look at me!"

Goku abruptly turned around, and frown firmly planted on his face, "Please, leave me alone…_father._"

"Why did you leave her?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because she's loves you! I don't want you to make a stupid mistake. Do you not realize the way you two act when you're around each other? Are you too blind to see what you have?"

"I left because I'm a danger to society. I almost killed another student. I can't be around people if I'm going to do that." Goku turned around again and started walking. Bardock…how dare he talk about as if he knows what love is. The man had never felt love in his life, and Goku was sure of it.

"I don't believe that," Bardock said, "I believe you're afraid. You're afraid of what might happen if you give in. You don't want to be weak, but it will only make you stronger. Please…don't be a fool like I was…"

"Like you?" Goku stopped his footsteps, keeping his back turned to his father, "What do you mean, 'like you'?"

"Your mother…I left her to fight, because I was afraid of letting her in. When I got back, she was dead. If I never left, I could have protected her. I regret it every day. Don't leave ChiChi in her state of mind. If you ever saw her, it would break your heart."

"Just leave me alone. I don't want to hear your story about my mother." Goku pushed his feet off the ground and let Bardock standing alone. Bardock simply shook his head and flew off in the opposite direction. Something had to sink into the boy's head at some point.

Or maybe his time away turned his heart into ice. That could not be possible though. Goku could never harbor any hatred towards anyone. His love for life always overthrew hatred and evilness in his heart. No, he had to care. He _had_ to.

_Scratch…scratch…scratch._

ChiChi grated the small jack knife against the hard maple wood. Small wood chips collected at the bottom of the pillar as she continuously scratched away, making a single line in the wood. After a few moments, ChiChi was satisfied with her work. She sat back and wiped her forehead, and stared at the tick marks that were appearing day by day next to her bed. By now, there must have been thirty of them. _Thirty…_

"Please don't let me go falling from the sky. This fasten seat belt sign just needs to go out. If only you could be right here by my side, home wouldn't seem so far from here." ChiChi sung the words softly to herself as she continued to stare at the tick marks. The words slowly stopped and simply turned into a sad hum. A salty tear rolled down her cheek. God, thirty of them…

Had he been gone for that long? Had he left her life only that long? To ChiChi, he had been gone for much, much longer. The days rolled by endlessly. The blazing sun rolled up, and eventually set into the blackening night. Even at night ChiChi felt uneasy. She felt as if someone was going to get her, and no one would be there to save her. Shadows crept along the walls, just waiting to grab her. But before they had the chance, the sun would rise again, and the shadows would disappear, defeated for another day.

Had she gone mad? Had Goku's absence made her go so crazy? Or was she just over obsessive? Maybe his sudden absence made her feel unwanted and unloved.

Or maybe she was so madly in love with him that it drove her completely to the edge of her sanity.

ChiChi looked at the blade of the jack knife. It was not big in size, but it was sharp enough to cause damage to a person. The light in her room bounced off the blade, making the steel look quite inviting. ChiChi pulled the blade towards her opposite wrist. Pressing the blade against her skin, she tested exactly how strong the blade was. Pulling it away, there was nothing but a mark from it being pressed against her skin. Flipping it over, ChiChi held the blade between two fingers. Flicking her wrist back, she thrust it forward, and it flew across the room and into the opposite wall. No, there was no any reason to be cutting herself…yet. Besides, she wanted to live, in case Goku ever decided to show up again. Death would have to come knocking on another day.

Besides the next day was Friday, which meant graduation! It would not be right if she killed herself the day before she graduated.

"I'm not going to go…"

_But you have to! She'll be there._

"No…I'm not ready."

_You coward! You're doing what she did all those years ago. Don't run away from her. _

"I'm not running…I'm getting my head straight, that's all."

_Liar. You're afraid of what might happen if you actually do love her._

"But…I told her I did. She knows I love her."

_And you left her! Is that how you say 'I Love You'? She probably thinks you don't care._

"I can't go…I can't face everyone…"

Goku lay back on the lush green grass. He could not believe that he was having a conversation…with himself. He must have been going crazy. That voice inside him would not shut up. One side of him was saying to go back to ChiChi, while the other was saying to stay away. He was so confused. His emotions were mixed up. Those emotions were nothing he had ever felt before. When he thought about ChiChi, he would get this nauseating feeling in his stomach. Slowly, the nauseous feeling would turn into a deep sadness. He wanted to go back to ChiChi. Something inside him held him back.

Was it fear?

Was his idiot father right? Was he afraid of what might happen if he gave in to ChiChi's feelings for him? He was so confused how everything between them happened within a month? Isn't a love like this supposed to take years to develop?

_If you'll just hold on for one more second. Just hold on for what you have. If you'll just hold on, just hold on, just hold on…_

_Pomp and Circumstance_…it is the one song every kid in a high school band hates. Why, you ask? Well, my dear reader, would you like to play a song over once and again while all the seniors get their diplomas? No, I did not think so. If anything, you would be wishing that _you_ were a senior walking up there, getting your final goodbye to your prison for the last four years.

The seniors walked one by one up to the podium in their white gowns and caps, smiles plastered across their faces. They'd get their diplomas, shake hands with the principal, and walk down. Slowly, and quite tediously to those watching, the task was completed with a speech by the class Valedictorian, and a single, jovial cheer by the senior class. Caps floated through the air as everyone celebrated. They were finally out! High school was finally over!

ChiChi quickly found Bardock and Bulma. They were the only two there supporting her. Vegeta obviously passed in order to train, and Goku seemed to have won his little conversation with himself. ChiChi looked behind Bardock hopefully. Someone important was missing…

"Bardock, where's my father?" ChiChi looked at him, searching for an answer.

Bardock gave Bulma and uneasy glance before clearing his throat to give her an answer, "He couldn't make it back from The States in time for the ceremony. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. Why did I expect him to be here, anyway?" ChiChi's original smile was replaced with a blank expression. Her father was never there for anything important. He was always on important business trips to the United States. She rarely saw him, and never had much of a relationship with him. Bardock was the closest thing she had to a father anymore, and Bulma was the closest to a mother. ChiChi brushed past Bulma and Bardock and headed to the car.

"Hey Chi, you okay?" Bardock called after ChiChi.

ChiChi ignored him, and kept walking. Bardock moved to follow her. Bulma held her hand in front of Bardock to stop him.

"You're flying home Bardock. Let me drive ChiChi home. I'll have a little chat with her. I have a feeling I know what's wrong."

"How do you…"

"Call it a women's intuition." She said with a smirk. She then left Bardock in the mob of people, and followed ChiChi to the car.

"Chi? You okay?" Bulma sat down in the driver's seat of Bardock's car.

"Go away." ChiChi muttered, her voice muffled by her knees. She sounded like a small child.

Bulma ignored ChiChi's request. The engine roared to life, and ChiChi pulled out of the parking lot.

Most of the car ride went in silence. Bulma decided not to press for answers, but to let ChiChi open up when she was ready. The last thing she needed was to have ChiChi blow up in her face about trying to act like her mother or something.

"Why aren't they here?" ChiChi muttered under her breath after a while.

"What was that?" Bulma pulled the car onto a side road.

"Why aren't they here?"

"Who?"

"You know as well who!" ChiChi snapped, her eyes flashing in anger, "Those idiots. I hate them."

"You do not! You will not say that about your father and Goku."

"Don't act like my mother," ChiChi stated in a calm voice. She rested her chin in her hand and gazed out the window. "They don't love me, do they?" She said absent-mindedly, "So it doesn't really matter if I no longer exist, because no one will care."

"Stop saying such foolishness!" Bulma exclaimed, "I love you, and Bardock loves you. So does your father and Goku. Don't think such negative thoughts."

ChiChi shrugged as she jolted. The car stopped in front of her house. Without saying anything back to Bulma, she left the car, and went to her room.

Time passed slowly. ChiChi scraped the thirty-first tick mark into her bedpost. She was on the brink of insanity. Her father was too busy with business to come back for her graduation, and the love of her life left her without a reason. Sure, he _claimed _that he loved her, but then why would he leave? It just made no sense. Life made no sense.

She sat in her room soundlessly. Okay, so ChiChi had graduated. What next? College waited for her, but now it seemed pointless to go. There seemed to be nothing to do anymore, except to be miserable.

"Chi? There's someone at the door for you!" Bulma called up the stairs. ChiChi had been in such a state of distress that she never heard the doorbell ring.

"Tell them to go away."

"No, you want to see this person, trust me."

ChiChi wiped a few tears from her cheeks, "No. I want them to go away."

"Fine," Bulma replied. ChiChi heard the front door slam.

"Marry me, stay the same. Lie to me and try to say you never will…" A distinct voice softly sung into ChiChi's ear. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist. A small smile tugged at ChiChi's lips as she slowly turned around. It could not be…

"Goku!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was back! Finally, after waiting a month, he had returned. An overwhelming joy had overcome her sadness. Goku hugged her tightly before letting her go.

"Miss me much?" He asked, his eyes shinning. ChiChi nodded, as she was lost for words. A few tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at him. They were together again…

"Something wrong?" He asked, a concerned look in his eyes.

"No," ChiChi said, wiping a few of them away, "I'm happy…I'm finally happy…" She moved forward and kissed him softly, "I'm finally happy." She whispered.

"ChiChi," Goku cleared his throat uncertainly, "I want to ask you a question…"

_Another month later_

It was a hot, summer day. Bulma walked from her front door to her mailbox rather quickly. The temperature had to have been in the upper eighties. Opening the mailbox, she pulled out envelopes of various sizes. Simply throwing aside the junk mail, she scanned each label, mentally noting if the envelope contained a bill or not. Towards the end, she came across a nice, thick envelope with calligraphy written on it:

_To Miss Bulma Briefs and Mr. Vegeta_

Bulma tore open the envelope and scanned its contents. A smile broke across her face as she read it. She could not believe it was happening! Something that she had bet on since her teenage years was coming true.

The envelope's contents read as followed:

_ Please join us as Goku and ChiChi come together in Holy Matrimony _

_on April Twenty-fourth Two thousand-four_

_RSVP to Bardock by December Thirty-first _

_Black tie affair_

Bulma closed the invitation and rushed into the house. A wedding, how exciting! ChiChi would surely need help…

Life is nothing but Blue Skies and Broken hearts…

Some people are lucky though. Through the heartache they find love…a love that will never fade…

People fall in love, but they also fall apart. Only those who are lucky stay together…

My dearest reader, our tale has just about come to an end. If you should remember one single thing, remember this…

_All you need is love, love. Love is all you need…_


End file.
